I know permies are the kings and queens of water control, so I’m hoping someone here will have some suggestions. I have 1.5 acres of land, most of which is straight up forest. I’ve got plenty of plans for the ample shade and dappled shade, but my big question resolves around the only area I have that might qualify as full sun. It’s on the side of the house, about 50ft wide, 30ft long, and over that 30 ft the land drops around 3-4 feet. This wouldn’t be enough of a slope to worry about, but almost all of the water from the lengthy driveway and the output from the downspouts runs straight down this slope and has washed away most of the top soil.
I currently have what we affectionately call “woodchip mountain” sitting at the top of this hill, acting like a berm, and it’s amazing how much a difference even that level of water management has done over the last couple of years. The soil has improved and some native plants are moving in. However, it still gets pretty muddy and I’m trying to figure out a more permanent solution that will enable me to eventually do some gardening (traditional vegetable and otherwise) over there.
I’ve toyed with the idea of a dry creek bed that routes to a rain garden, swales, check logs to create terracing, but I’m not really sure what will be best. It’s slightly complicated by the fact that I need to make sure that there’s room between whatever we do and the house for a truck to pass, for whenever we have to do tree work in the back. Keeping the back truck-accessible keeps tree work affordable.
If it’s something I can do myself and cheaply, bonus points, but if I have to pay someone to come in and do the work with machinery, it’s something I can budget for, within reason.
First picture shows the slope down to the shed, with the foot of woodchip mountain on the left. Second picture is at the bottom, where the roots of the wild cherry tree are stabilizing a bit of a hollow (red circle) that is currently filled about 2 feet deep with mulched leaves. (I don’t lack for browns in my compost.) That’s my neighbor’s house in the background. He loves all the leaves from my yard, let me tell you.
So, what would you do?
submitted by /u/blurryrose
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