Question on lift pump

[Strahm]

Hello everyone, I know this isn't directly pond related but I thought this community might be able to help me with a question/issue I have regarding a small lift pump.

I have a very bad drainage problem in my yard because my neighbor behind me is roughly 3 feet higher than my yard. He's planted rye grass and water is literally seeping to the surface of my yard. I want to install a "tile line" for drainage and connect it to the drain that runs out to street in front of my home.

The problem is that I will need to lift the water roughly 1 foot to reach the existing drain line from my back to front yard. Could this problem be solved with a low volume solar lift pump with an automatic on/off for when the lines are dry?

Again, I know this isn't pond related but I would greatly appreciate any advice that people could give me since I know very little about landscaping and small volume pumps (but I'm a farmer so I'm capable of DIY and understand large scale concepts.)

 

[Big Lou]

Welcome Strahm.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Welcome! My first reaction is that since the water is coming from your neighbors yard, it is their legal responsibility to mitigate this run-off. Check with the appropriate local governmental agency.
If the amount of water is significant, a solar pump is not going to move this water fast enough plus they are only good when the sun is shining. Not going to help much in an extended rain event.
Very easy to build a simple wet well with a standard sump pump using an on-off float valve.

 

[Big Lou]

Welcome! My first reaction is that since the water is coming from your neighbors yard, it is their legal responsibility to mitigate this run-off. Check with the appropriate local governmental agency...........

Morning everybody. Speaking from my own experience I can tell you that it is most probably not your neighbors responsibility to mitigate the run-off. Our home is near the peak of a hill so because of the sloping land our lot was back filled. The house that borders the rear of our property was built 4.5 feet below grade. The friendly neighbors experience ground seepage from our yard. The ruling by our cities engineers and building inspections was that the seepage is natural runoff thus not our problem. The actual fault for this issue was caused by the original builder of our neighbors home. Btw, that home has been bought and resold about 5 times since it was originally built 17 years ago. I do not think Strahm's problem is quite an exact match to our rear neighbors due to other land slope issues. Now, with all this said I do agree with your suggestion for Strahm to contact the local governmental agency. The city engineers office and building inspectors office may be able to provide very useful and free advice regarding how to deal with Strahm's unique situation. For my neighbor the solution was simple a sizable French drain was installed. That French drain carries the water seepage away from the low area. Everyone is happy. Sure is nice when such issues can be solved.

Good luck Strahm. I hope whatever solution you ultimately find works out.

 

[Dave 54]

My thoughts are exactly the same as big Lou and Meyers contact your local government authority about this, they then should be able to force the original builder of the property to put right a job that has acctually been missed by them
We live bellow houses on a slope there is no seepage simply because they put in the correct drainage prior to our homes being built thus we get no run off.
Besides why should you be fixing something thats not your doing your neighbours insurance should cover any cost to them , because the insurance people will look directly to the builder of the property to put right a bad job

Dave

 

[morewater]

Build a dry well. No plumbing or pumps needed.