How Retaining Walls Prevent Soil Erosion and Flooding
When excessive rain falls, or snow begins to melt, the most significant risk to your home’s landscape is the destruction from soil erosion and flooding. If your outdoor space has a slope, uneven ground, or poorly drained soil, you may already be contending with these issues. At Orion Landscape & Construction, we have witnessed the dramatic difference a properly designed and constructed retaining wall can make in protecting and maintaining property value.
What Is a Retaining Wall?
A retaining wall is an artificial barrier constructed to block retaining soil, prevent forward movement of soil, level a slope, or control water pressure in the soil. They are frequently employed in landscaping to provide structure and depth, but their utility extends well beyond the creation of visual interest.
How Retaining Walls Help Prevent Soil Erosion
Stabilizing Sloped Terrain: On sloping land, soil wants to move downhill, especially when rainwater is saturated. Retaining walls resist this force because they are a solid, durable barrier that keeps soil intact and prevents it from falling or washing away.
Controlling Water Flow: Water is usually directed away from retaining walls via weep holes or gravel backfills. These characteristics are useful for transporting water around important areas and for slowing and reducing the volume of water running down slopes. This helps stop erosion and protects plants, driveways, and foundations.
Runoff and Soil Erosion: Water can carry away topsoil during heavy rains, effectively washing nutrients and organic matter from your yard. A retaining wall provides a buffer, slowing the runoff and catching the soil before it washes down—key, especially in garden beds or landscaped areas.
How Retaining Walls Help Prevent Flooding
Redirecting Excess Water: Retaining walls in strategic locations can redirect that water away from sensitive areas like your home’s foundation or patio. This prevents water from collecting or seeping into basements or crawl spaces.
Developing Terraces for Drainage: A terraced property can be added to with multiple retaining walls on steep grades. These level zones interrupt the slope, resulting in more controlled water absorption and a delay in water flow, which lowers the potential for flash flooding.
Support to Stormwater Control: Retaining walls can also be part of a larger stormwater management system. They work in conjunction with swales, drains, or permeable pavers to control heavy rainfall by reducing the shock to the landscape administered by storms.
Choose Orion Landscape & Construction
What separates Orion Landscape & Construction from others in the area is one word: quality. We do not construct retaining walls—we construct intelligent retaining wall solutions that are built to last and to protect. We take into consideration the special needs of your property, such as types of soil, drainage, and landscaping, when building retaining walls that are as functional as they are beautiful.
Whether you are experiencing erosion or drainage or need a yard upgrade, we have you covered. Let’s take a step at a time. We will build a foundation for your landscape one block at a time.