Why Your Austin Yard Won't Drain
If water sits in your yard for days after a storm, you're not imagining it — Central Texas is one of the harder places to drain a lot.
1. Expansive clay soil
Austin's "black gumbo" clay barely absorbs water. Instead of soaking in, rain sits on the surface and pools in every low spot.
2. Flat or negative grade
If the ground doesn't slope away from the house, water has nowhere to go — and sometimes runs back toward the foundation.
3. Fast, heavy storms
Our rain often arrives in intense bursts that overwhelm a yard with no drains.
How to fix it
The lasting fix is usually a combination: regrading for positive slope, French drains to collect subsurface water, catch basins for low spots, and buried downspouts to remove roof water. Get a free on-site assessment.