If you live in Cumming in Georgia, then you probably already know the pattern of how soil erosion occurs on properties here. First it rains fairly heavily for a day or two, then the creek starts to swell After this, the red clay in the area becomes fluid and moves and before you know it a little trench has opened up where there was once flat ground. By the end of the process there will be a collection of muddy sediment at the bottom of your driveway and mulch floating where it shouldn’t be. If you’re lucky these changes are subtle, yet more often than not they leave a major mess.
Soil and land erosion like this on properties around Cumming is not merely bad luck. It is actually caused by a fairly predictable mix of the soil type, the slope involved, the flow of the water in and around the property, and the way that the way that the property was cleared or graded when it was being built. The tricky thing about all of this is that the damage to the property has often started before you or anyone else can see it. A big storm will just reveal the damage once it’s already well underway.
If you need Forestry Mulching or Land Clearing around Cumming, Canton, or anywhere else in North Georgia, contact us today for a free estimate.
Water will always look for the path of least resistance
During a storm, the rain does not soak evenly into the ground, certainly not so on disturbed clay soil in North Georgia, and definitely not on a property where the soil has recently been cleared. In these cases, water will look for the fastest route downhill. Once it finds a route that it likes, it will funnel towards that again and again.
That’s why, when it rains heavily, you will see the same groove deepen as water flows into it during and after every storm. It’s not that the rain caused or created the problem. Instead the first downpour found the groove and developed a pathway for the water which subsequent storms then continue to carve a deeper hole into.
The other thing which people underestimate in these situations is the sheer speed of the water. It isn’t just a question of how rapidly the rain is falling, but also how quickly it started to pool and concentrate into a channel. If there is only a thin sheet of water moving slowly, then this can be relatively harmless. However, if the same water is gathering into a tight channel that can cut through additional soil in a matter of minutes.
The clay soil in Cumming makes runoff like this more likely than absorption
Forsyth County has plenty of this kind of red clay soil that we get in Georgia. This clay is not automatically a bad thing, but it does behave differently from sandier soils. When the clay becomes compacted or crusted over, water cannot drain into it and instead it runs across the surface.
This is particularly common on properties that cars or equipment are regularly driven across, as they press the surface down and almost seal it. Then when heavy rain comes down, you get water runoff almost immediately as the water can’t get into the ground here. That runoff then grabs fine particles as it goes along, turning clean water into muddy water and transporting bits of soil along with it to lower parts of the property.
The disturbed ground erodes fast
Soil on a property erodes more after you have cleared or excavated it. When the vegetation is stripped away during this kind of work, you lose the roots that were holding the top layers of the soil together. And you also lose the canopy and ground cover that once softened the impact of heavy rain coming down. Raindrops are basically tiny kinds of impact events, but multiplied into the millions when it rains heavily. On bare soil the impact of that deluge breaks apart the soil at the surface and creates a slurry-like soup that then starts running down the nearest slope.
Trying to change the surface to make it more level will change how water moves on top of it when it rains, yet this can still result in problems if the runoff is now flowing towarrds a more vulnerable spot. Moreover, if a construction project ends and the property is sitting bare for weeks, the first major rainfall will then have a target to aim at.
Grass can be used to try and prevent this erosion in the long term, but it is not an instant fix. Seeds take time to grow and grass seeds need a lot of protection to germinate and take root. They are very vulnerable to heavy storms simply washing the seed downhill before it ever takes root. Then you’re just left with bare soil again.
In steeper parts of the property you will often need some temporary stabilization of the land in order for it to survive a storm while there is vegetation taking root. If construction work is actively underway, you will need a plan for when a storm or heavy rain occurs, as it probably will at some stage.
How slopes lead to water concentrating in problematic areas
In Cumming (did we mention we specialize in forestry mulching in Cumming and the surrounding areas?) there is a lot of rolling terrain, which is difficult when you’re dealing with water runoff. Even a mild slope on a property can create soil erosion if the water is flowing for long enough without a break. The longer the water keeps running for, the more the water accelerates and the more erosion it leads to.
The shape of the property is important too. Dips and undulations drive water into channels and sometimes a driveway can turn into a gutter if the water flows there. You might not notice the problems that these slopes are creating in light rain, but once heavy rain arrives, it makes the drainage patterns more obvious.
How gutters and downspouts can lead to trenches
One of the most common ways in which soil becomes eroded on residential properties is water from the roof. During a heavy downpour your roof can dump a surprising amount of water all in one spot on your property. And if the downspouts discharge all of this water onto bare soil, or onto a slope without any protection therefrom, you can end up with a trench developing fast in the soil.
Even if your yard is mostly stable, a concentrated amount of water being discharged quickly into one location can undercut the stability of the soil there. In these cases, you’ll see a little crater develop near the outlet, then a channel that runs down the hill or slope, and finally a pile of sediment at the bottom of the slope. Depending on the property, it might also undermine the walkways or the edge of the driveway.
Driveways and construction areas can change how water behaves
If you have a gravel driveway, or there is an area where machines are entering your property while construction work is underway, then the soil here becomes compacted and can turn into something more akin to a paved surface. When rain hits this, the water runs along the hard surface and then flows into the soil at the lowest point at speed.
As it hits it starts cutting into the soil. The edge of a driveway is a classic location for this to occur, as is the place where a driveway meets the road and the ditch line. If that meeting point is not re-shaped and stabilized, you will get water washing out onto the street and get locked into an annoying cycle where you have to re-spread gravel after every storm, as parts of the old layer have been washed away.
On lots where construction work is actively underway, it’s also quite common for track marks and shallow ruts to be present in the soil from the equipment that is being used. Those ruts or tire marks act like tiny little channels that water flows into. In heavy rain these channels then get bigger as the soil is eroded.
Water that has nowhere to go results in erosion
Water needs somewhere to go; if it does not have a place to go it will form into a pond and saturate the soil before eventually spilling over the weakest edge that it can find. That spillover then forms into a new channel again, usually in a place you would rather it not be.
The outlet in these cases has often been blocked, for instance if it is a clogged ditch or an inlet that has been silted shut. After heavy rain, the system backs up at these blocked outlets and then eventually spills over, once the water becomes high enough. Once the water jumps in this way to a new location it starts cutting into new ground there.
In neighborhoods where homes are built near to each other, drainage issues like this can get even more complicated. One property’s soil can be graded in such a way that it affects the next or a change in the slope can increase the amount of water that flows onto a lower property.
Storms in North Georgia can be intense
Cumming gets the kind of storms that result in a lot of water very quickly. Unfortunately the soil has a limit to how quickly it can absorb all of this and when the rainfall rate exceeds the absorption rate, the excess water becomes runoff. And it’s then that soil erosion accelerates.
The timing can play a role too. If a heavy storm happens after a week of rain, it will be worse than the same storm arriving after an extended dry spell, because the soil is already saturated and the new water is much more likely to run off.
Finally, there’s the simple reality of construction schedules. Often construction work is undertaken in the summer, leaving lots quite bare heading into the autumn and winter when thunderstorms occur. Planning to prevent soil erosion has to be undertaken in a proactive way in such a scenario.
The hidden causes of water runoff: Compacted soil and unfinished grading
Some causes of soil erosion are obvious. For instance, if a steep slope has been left or a downspout is blasting water out onto the ground (especially if there’s a big gap between the end of the pipe and the ground), it will cause a problem in an obvious way. Other issues are sneakier.
Soil compaction is a clandestine source of runoff. Construction equipment and vehicles lead to the soil being compacted and this reduces the amount of water that can infiltrate the ground. Storms then keep producing water runoff become the soil cannot absorb the amount of water involved.
Problematic transition points between parts of the property are another concern. This is where a cut, like a transition from lawn to yard, occurs, or where a piece of level ground meets a slope. Seams like this are weak points where water can collect and starts undercutting the soil in the area.
Lastly, if the grading or leveling of the property was left unfinished it will cause a problem that leads to the lot being eroded. To the naked eye the lot might look like it has been successfully leveled, but if the final shaping is not quite correct, then the water will not drain 100% and the first major storm will find the gaps.
When erosion turns into a bigger risk
There is also a point where soil erosion stops being only a cosmetic issue and becomes a serious structural concern. For instance, if the water runoff starts to undermine a slope near a retaining wall or a septic field zone, you can end up with an expensive problem.
This can also result in sediment being drawn away from the site, which creates its own kind of headache such as mud in the street, clogged ditches, complaints from your neighbor, and in some cases compliance issues depending on if there is a construction project underway and the laws of the jurisdiction. Even when you’re just a homeowner, these concerns are worth taking seriously because the fix is usually cheaper early on before it turns into something bigger.
The benefits of good grading
Good grading of a site is not just about making the lot flatter. It also involves shaping the land so that water moves in a purposeful way, i.e. it moves in a slower and more controlled way to stable outlets.
A solid approach for proper grading usually includes breaking up the longer slopes to create more gentle swales where needed, while also protecting any discharge points and leaving the site in a condition where it can survive a storm even if the grass seeds have not fully established themselves yet.
The best methods also require a clear idea of what approach is being taken: you look at where the water comes from during a storm, where it is trying to go and where it absolutely should not be going. Then you grade or level the property accordingly. The land will tell you a lot if you are paying attention.
Where GPH Grading fits in
If you’re in the Cumming area and you’re experiencing water flow issues like this after storms or heavy rain, then you’re not alone and there is someone to call to offer help. GPH Grading has been working in the Greater Atlanta area and surrounding counties since 2016. We handle land clearing, excavation work, land grading, landscaping, and forestry mulching. The company was founded by Graeme, who really does have a lifetime of experience in the industry. He drove his first Bobcat at age five. That kind of long-term experience shines through in the small, smart decisions he makes to prevent big problems later on.
At GPH the work is undertaken with an eye to what you’re building, how you plan to use the land, and what your timeline looks like, all with transparency about what needs to happen and what it will cost. GPH Grading is licensed and insured, and work within local, state and federal regulations. Safety standards are a key concern, because working on soil and lot erosion often involves slopes, equipment and wet ground, a dangerous mix if not treated respectfully.
GPH also have a second expert on the team with almost a decade of industry experience, which is critical when you need a job carried out on time and budget and you want the peace of mind of knowing that the crew have done this many times before. We work, on residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and municipal jobs. The physics are the same in all cases: water still runs downhill, not up!
In addition to our grading services, GPH Grading specializes in forestry mulching in Cumming GA and the surrounding areas which can be an essential part of the process of clearing land by efficiently getting rid of unwanted vegetation while preserving the soil structure.
How to tell if your lot is in danger of eroding again in the next storm
If you see small channels forming in the soil or there is sediment in a fan shape at the bottom of slopes those are early warning signs of potential problems ahead. Also, if you see water forming into a pond that later breaks out in a new direction, that’s definitely a drainage problem that will repeat if left unattended.
Additionally, if you keep having to replace gravel or mulch in the same part of the property, it’s usually not the fault of the material itself, but is a problem with how the water is flowing into it. Finally, if you have bare soil on a slope and we’re heading into the wet storm season, it’s worth acting now before the next heavy rain to prevent any future trouble with water runoff and soil erosion.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Why do property lots experience soil erosion in Cumming after heavy bouts of rain?
Lot erosion in Cumming and surrounding areas is usually due to a fairly predictable mix of factors which include the area’s red clay soil, the slope of the land involved, the patterns in which water is flowing, and how the property was cleared or graded in the past. Heavy bursts of rain cause creeks to swell and water runoff to concentrate, all of which deepens grooves in the property and moves soil around.
How does North Georgia’s red clay soil affect water absorption?
North Georgia has a lot of red clay soil that tends to become compacted and then to crust over. This drastically reduces the ability of water to infiltrate the harder soil. Hence, instead of soaking into the ground, the rainwater quickly runs off of the surface, especially on disturbed or compacted soil, which in turn leads to an increase in soil erosion as muddy water carries away fine soil particles.
Why does disturbed ground erode faster than undisturbed land?
Disturbing the ground by clearing away vegetation or trying to level or flatten an area removes roots that previously held the soil together, while also eliminating the protective canopy and ground cover that previously cushioned the impact of the rain. Without this protection, rain breaks apart the soil, creating a muddy slurry and accelerating soil erosion, especially if the bare soil is exposed during a storm.
Why doessimply spreading grass seeds not prevent erosionon a newly cleared ?
Grass seeds requires a lot of time to germinate and establish secure roots, during which time they also need moisture. If a heavy storm occurs shortly after the seeds have been scattered on bare soil, it can easily wash away the seeds before they have time to take hold, meaning the bare soil remains vulnerable to erosion.
How do the slopes on your property and the shape of it influence the way that water flows and leads to soil erosion in properties in Cumming?
Even mild slopes on a property can lead to soil erosion if water flows uninterrupted around the lot for long distances, gaining speed and erosive power as it goes. Features on the lot like dips or converging slopes also serve to make water concentrate into channels or chutes, increasing the velocity with which water is moving in the process. Making small changes to the slopes of the property can alter the path along which the water flows to create safer outlets.
What role do gutters and driveways play in causing erosion on residential properties?
Water runoff from the roof of a house through the gutters and downspouts can lead to large volumes of water pooling in one spot. If this is discharged onto bare soil without any protection or proper drainage outlets, then this can quickly carve out trenches in the soil. Similarly, gravel driveways, or places where the soil has become compacted owing to construction work, can act like a paved surface that causes water to run off rapidly at the edges, where it then erodes the adjacent soil.
