Cape Coral • Lee County
Drainage & Grading in Cape Coral, FL
Cape Coral's drainage is built around roadside swales that carry rain to the canal system, and city engineers have told FOX 4 that the drains are designed to empty slowly so pollutants are kept out of the canals. That means a yard has to hold its own runoff briefly and move it the right way. Problems usually show up where a lot was regraded, a driveway ramp was raised, or the swale lost its shape. The city's Swale Grading Program restores swales in the public right-of-way but does no work on private property, so the side yards, downspouts, and low spots behind the house are the owner's job. Solutions here tend to be shallow: regrading to move water to the swale, extending downspouts, a French drain along a side yard, or a dry well where fast-draining sand allows it. Hodges looks at where water stands after a storm, keeps any changes on your side of the property line, and checks that nothing pushes water onto a neighbor's lot.
or call (239) 301-9455
Where it comes up in Cape Coral
Northwest Cape Coral
Yacht Club
Southwest Cape Coral
Plants and materials that suit it in Cape Coral
- Fakahatchee grass
- Muhly grass
- Saw palmetto
- Perforated drain pipe in filter sock
- Washed drainage stone
- Pop-up emitters
Questions
Who fixes the swale in front of my house?
The city's Swale Grading Program and Surface Water Management handle swales, culverts, and pipes in the public right-of-way. Report problems through the city's 311 line. Work on your own lot, including side yards and downspout routing, is the owner's responsibility.
Can I run my downspouts straight into the canal?
Check with the city before connecting anything to a canal or seawall. The fertilizer ordinance also keeps fertilizer and yard debris away from water bodies. Directing downspouts onto a planted area or into a dry well lets more water soak into the sand instead of carrying runoff to the canal.
Why does water sit in my side yard for a day after heavy rain?
Often the side yard is flat or slightly lower than the lots on both sides, so it collects runoff from two roofs. A gentle regrade or a French drain toward the street swale usually helps. Water standing in the street swale itself is a city matter.