Richmond's "backyard swamp" phenomenon isn't just a nuisance—it's a geological certainty. Under a microscope, our Piedmont clay particles are flat plates that pack so tightly they create a nearly impermeable barrier.
The Science of Failure
To solve drainage in Central Virginia, you have to understand the numbers. Most soil can absorb rain as it falls. Richmond's clay cannot.
Sandy Soil
6.0
Inches/Hour Infiltration
Loamy Soil
2.0
Inches/Hour Infiltration
Richmond Clay
0.06
Near-Zero Absorption
A typical summer storm in Richmond drops 1.0" of rain in 30 minutes. Your soil can only take in 0.03" in that time. The other 0.97" has nowhere to go but up, resulting in standing water that breeds mosquitos and rot.
Diagnostic Path
Engineered Solutions
The permanent fix for Richmond's clay is to build a horizontal drainage system—not a vertical one. A permeable paver patio acts as a massive underground reservoir.
The Reservoir Logic
We excavate a 12-inch "bathtub" and fill it with clean open-graded stone. This reservoir can store 3,000+ gallons of rainwater under your patio, slowly releasing it without surface runoff.