If you have a property that is more rural than urban, and if the property has a natural slope away from the home, you may want to consider having a home drainage professional design and construct a french drain groundwater removal system that vents as a daylighted vent into a stormwater retention pond.
This method of groundwater disposal using french drains can serve two purposes.
Professionally installed french drains remove the rain water from the ground near the home, and from the homes rain drain discharges as well.
The groundwater and roof water can vent to a pond area created to hold the water.
These are called storm water retention ponds.
Many times, due to the size of the area to be used as a groundwater retention pond, it will be more efficient to excavate the pond with a back hoe and scraper, rather than by hand, as we would a french drain groundwater removal system.
If the pond is installed with a pond liner, to prevent the water from perking out, that might be your best alternative, as almost all sites do perk, to some degree. You will soon prove this point, and kill your fish, without a liner.
If the amount of groundwater that is anticipated is great, the fact that the pond does perk may be a benefit and serve the plan well as it will reduce the additional amount of water that would have been needed to top off the pond often.
An overflow is needed to let excess groundwater spill out of the pond when full, construct it that way, and let it fall over the overflow edge to another seasonal, rock lined, dry creek area below the level of the pond.
The type of home site best suited to this method of groundwater collection is a sloping site, with no other property below it to be harmed by the overflow of the excess water from your french drains and downspouts.
The same criteria that would apply to constructing a french drain system with a day lighted vent applies in this case.
Do not create a problem for a lower landowner with your vented water.
You will soon find out that it is indeed your problem, if your neighbor contends it is.
The great thing about ponds to retain the groundwater, rather than installing rock filled and supported dry wells, is that the beauty of the pond creates aesthetic values and also provides a niche for wildlife.
Increases the property value too.
In the Portland metro area USA, Multnomah county has a program called “vector control”.
The vector control program gives out a species of small fish, about an inch long, to homeowners with lakes and ponds, who want to control mosquitos.
These fish eat larva of many kinds of flying insects that cause bug problems in areas where water stagnates.
The fish are free for the asking.
The dimensions of your proposed, or existing pond, will aid them in giving you the correct amount of fish.
The fish breed and repopulate naturally. Over kill is not necessary.
Naturally, your pond will benefit from a form of water movement caused by an electric powered fountain type device to keep oxygen in the pond. It also looks great.
The herons, ducks and song birds will flock to it. The beauty of the pond will give you much pleasure, and you likely will benefit from a value added increase in your property worth as well.
Consider this type of groundwater storage if your site fits it.
The recirculating groundwater can be vented into the storm water retention pond, and then pumped higher to dry creek type french drains that act like surface creeks, and keep the water recirculating back to the pond downhill, creating an added visual and sound value.
When the need for additional water in the system is needed in the dry months of the summer, fill the storm water retention pond with the conventional source of water used to serve the homes water needs. Or let it go dry in between.
If running out of water is a problem, install a pond liner of some sort, if it isn’t too large of a pond.
If your groundwater retention pond can be constructed with a liner, or as a concrete retention pond, your water loss will be relegated to that water which evaporates. Nice for the water bill.
Lakes may require a large source of additional water. This could require a well drilled for the purpose of filling the lake, or large pond.
Groundwater removal can indeed be fun, and can give you back real value, in many ways.
Nature will love you for the creation of these treasured areas.