How We Protected This Pickerington Property from 5 Inches of Rain (And Why It Matters)

Double B Excavations & Grade LLC

VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK ON THIS BIG PROJECT

When nature decides to test your work, it doesn't hold back.

This week, our latest Pickerington project faced exactly that kind of test - five inches of rain in a single week.

That's the kind of rainfall that can turn a property into a muddy mess if the drainage isn't done right.

But here's the thing about proper drainage - you don't really notice it until you need it.

It's like having good insurance.

You might wonder if it's worth the extra effort and planning, right up until that moment when you really need it.

And this week in Pickerington, our careful planning paid off big time.

Let me walk you through how we made this work. First, we had to really understand how water naturally moves across this Pickerington property. You can't fight gravity, but you can definitely work with it. That's where our swale system comes in.

We designed the main swales to run along both sides of the property, but we didn't stop there. During the project, we spotted an opportunity to add another swale that runs from one corner post to another. This might sound like overkill, but when you're dealing with Ohio weather, there's no such thing as too much drainage protection. Each swale works together, like a team, to move water exactly where we want it to go.

Think of swales like nature's gutters - they catch the water and guide it away from areas where it could cause problems. The key is making them gentle enough that they look natural but effective enough to handle whatever weather comes their way.

Now, swales alone aren't enough. You need to protect them, or they'll just wash away over time. That's where hydroseeding comes in. We sprayed about 10,000 square feet of hydroseed along these swales this morning. Easton and I made sure we covered every crucial spot.

If you're not familiar with hydroseeding, it's basically a super-efficient way to establish grass quickly. We spray a special mix of grass seed, mulch, and fertilizer that sticks to the soil and starts growing fast. This does two important things: first, it prevents erosion (that's when rain washes away your good topsoil), and second, it makes everything look clean and finished.

The real genius here is that the grass roots will grow deep and help hold everything in place. So not only does the property look better, but it's also getting stronger and more protected every day. It's like putting down nature's armor against erosion.