The berm is finally done

A landscape is never static, the environment is constantly changing as small factors such as water flow patterns and elevations are influenced by gardening, fencing, weather, and time. 

When our subdivision was first developed over 40 years ago, landscapers created a gentle slope that gradually deepened into a significant drainage ditch to direct water flow through the back edge of the property lines.  This slope ran through two of the properties directly behind ours and the ditch marks the boundary on two sides of my backyard. 

We have lived in our home for 25 years and over that time, for various reasons, the slope through our neighbor's property has slowly silted in, preventing their backyard from draining into the ditch and sending the resulting overflow, flooding through our backyard. 

While this is primarily an inconvenience, whenever we have a heavy rain (several times a year) the resulting flood through our property is shin deep in places, and it was beginning to erode the lower end of our yard, which was never intended to funnel such great quantities of water. 

These changes are naturally occurring in any ecosystem but when they occur in a subdivision in which every yard is precious to its owner, it must be addressed.  The best solution for me was to raise the elevation along my property line about 12 inches for a distance of about 60 feet. 

The project took me several months.  To build my berm, I chose to transfer soil from the ditch to the fence line.  This soil is a combination of silt, gravel and heavy clay which holds its shape well.  Of course, it is also extremely heavy.  I filled two five gallon buckets which then had to be lifted 3 feet up onto the bank of the ditch, loaded into my wheel barrow and carted to the fence line.  Given my advanced age, I limited myself to five trips/ten buckets in a day.  Any time that it rained, the project went on hold to allow the ditch to complete draining. 

When completed, I planted the berm with a variety of hardy plants that can handle heavy soil and will spread over the sides. 

Now we will wait for the next gully washer to see how well the berm protects my gardens from flooding, and the next 20 years or so to see how nature recreates the new environment.  I hope it works and so does my aching back.