There are a few things to consider when designing your drainage system.

• Consider the topography of the area needing drainage

• Characteristics of the soils i.e. clay, sandy, rocky 

• Potential challenges from poor surface water drainage

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Considering the items above, installing trench and/or catch basins can benefit low-lying areas with poor drainage. A trench basin also referred to as a channel or strip drain is characterized as a long, narrow, or channel-shaped drain. A catch basin is typically installed beneath the surface to keep it free of debris like pine straw, garbage, leaves, and mud. Both drains are utilized to direct water away from an undesired area and can be customized to fit into any landscape.

French drains are commonly used to relocate unwanted ground and surface water away from an undesired location. The drain itself is usually made up of perforated corrugated pipe overlaid with some sort of gravel. The drains are installed underground and the perforated corrugated pipe is covered with commonly used filter fabric to prevent clogging of the drain.

An essential part of storm or surface water management is to control run off from places like gutters and roofs. These connections can be buried to be out of site of the landscape or create rainwater reservoirs to conserve water during the dryer, hotter months of summer. The main goal of this water management element is to keep water away from the foundation of your home.