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New culvert pipe set in a rock-lined drainage ditch
Rapid City, SD

French Drains & Yard Drainage in Rapid City, SD

Rapid City’s clay soil doesn’t soak water up fast, and a summer thunderstorm can drop a lot of it at once. Water that can’t soak in runs to the low spot, and too often the low spot is next to the house. Black River Contracting fixes wet yards and keeps water away from foundations with French drains, regrading and swales.

What we do

  • French drains to catch water under the surface and pipe it away.
  • Regrading so the ground slopes away from the house on every side.
  • Swales: shallow, grassed channels that carry surface water around the house or across the yard.
  • Buried downspout lines that take roof water well away from the foundation instead of dumping it beside it.
  • Drains behind retaining walls, where trapped water is what pushes walls over.

How we work it out

We start by finding where the water comes from and where it can go. We walk the property with you, look at the downspouts, the slope of the yard and where water stands after a rain, then pick the simplest fix that will work. Sometimes that’s a trench and pipe, and sometimes it’s a day of regrading.

We call in locates through SD811 before we dig, and keep the machine small enough to fit through a yard.

Common questions

What is a French drain?
A trench lined with filter fabric, with a perforated pipe in the bottom, filled with washed rock. Water soaks into the rock, runs into the pipe and follows it downhill to wherever it can leave the property. It catches water below the surface that grading alone can't.
Do I need a French drain or just better grading?
Often just grading. If water runs across the surface toward the house, sloping the ground away from the foundation and adding a swale usually fixes it for less. A French drain is for water that's soaking through the soil, coming from a hillside, or sitting where there's no room to regrade.
Where does the water go?
Downhill, to a spot that can take it: a ditch, a lower part of the yard, a dry well or a street outlet where the city allows one. It can't be dumped onto a neighbor's property. If there's nowhere for the water to go, a French drain won't help, so we look at that before anything else.
Will a French drain fix my wet basement?
It can, if the water is coming from outside around the foundation. Start with the simple things: downspouts that dump next to the house and ground that slopes toward it cause a lot of wet basements. If the water comes up through the floor, you may need an interior drain and sump, which is work for a basement waterproofing company.

Learn more about Culvert Installation

More services in Rapid City

Ready to break ground?

Every site is different. We'll walk it with you and give you a straight answer, with a clear scope and an honest estimate.

Request a quote(605) 600-6045