Move the water, hold the soil
Two related problems. Water arriving somewhere you don't want it, and soil leaving somewhere you do. On sloped ground near the lake or a creek, they're usually the same problem.
Drainage work is unglamorous and it's the thing that protects everything else on the property — the foundation, the driveway, the septic drainfield, and the yard.
What's included
- French drains and subsurface drainage
- Swales and surface water routing
- Downspout and sump discharge lines run to a proper outlet
- Yard grading to eliminate standing water
- Silt fence, check dams, and inlet protection for permitted sites
- Site stabilization and seeding after the work
Part 91 and the 500-foot rule
Michigan's Part 91 soil erosion and sedimentation control rules require a permit for any earth change that disturbs an acre or more of land, or that takes place within 500 feet of a lake or stream. That second trigger has no size floor — a small job close to water still needs the permit.
In Berrien County the Drain Commission handles the pre-site inspection and the permitting process, and the county recommends contacting them before soil is moved. Starting without the permit typically means fees on top of the fees.
What's required on site is a plan and physical controls — silt fence, check dams, inlet protection, staged disturbance, and stabilization — maintained until the ground is settled. That's the part we install and keep in shape while the job runs.
Common questions
The two triggers are one acre of disturbance, or any earth change within 500 feet of a lake or stream. If you're not sure how close you are to water, we'll figure it out at the estimate.
Usually. The fix depends on where the water originates and whether there's a viable outlet to send it to. That's the first thing we look at.
A gravel-filled trench with perforated pipe in it that collects subsurface water and carries it to an outlet. It works when there's somewhere for the water to go — which is the part people skip.
Get a quote on your drainage and erosion control
Tell us where the property is and what you're trying to do with it. We'll come look, and the estimate is free.
Other services
Ready to get dirt moving?
Tell us about the property and we'll come look at it. Estimates are free, and we'll tell you straight if the job needs a permit before anyone touches the ground.