Your Yard is Disappearing — Here's the Fix!

A homeowner in Lithia Springs watched her backyard literally wash away over the course of a single spring. Three heavy rainstorms in April carved a six-inch-deep gully diagonally across her backyard, carrying topsoil, mulch, and grass into the drainage easement behind her property.

Yard erosion is one of the most common and frustrating landscape problems in Metro Atlanta. Georgia's combination of heavy rainfall (50–55 inches annually), clay soils, and rolling Piedmont terrain creates ideal conditions for erosion.

Understanding Why Your Yard Is Eroding

Slope. The steeper the slope, the faster water moves across it.

Soil type. Metro Atlanta's Piedmont clay absorbs water poorly. When saturated, it sheds water across the surface.

Ground cover. Bare soil has no protection — water moves freely across it, dislodging particles and carrying them downhill.

Drainage patterns. Downspouts, driveways, and neighboring properties all direct water. Many erosion problems trace back to a single source.

Types of Erosion in Metro Atlanta Yards

Sheet erosion is the uniform removal of a thin layer of soil across a broad area.

Rill erosion creates small channels (1–4 inches deep) where concentrated water flow carves paths.

Gully erosion creates deep channels (6+ inches) that may undermine fences, retaining walls, and foundations.

Proven Solutions for Yard Erosion

Redirect water first. Extend downspouts, install French drains, regrade areas to redirect flow.

Establish ground cover. Sod ($0.50–$1.00/sq ft), hydroseeding ($0.08–$0.15/sq ft), ground cover plantings, or erosion control blankets.

Install a French drain. Cost: $25–$50 per linear foot installed.

Build a dry creek bed. Cost: $10–$25 per linear foot.

Install retaining walls. For severe slopes. See our guide on sloped yard solutions.

The Wildlife Connection

• Exposed root systems and eroded banks create burrow sites for groundhogs, chipmunks, and rabbits.
• Standing water from poor drainage attracts mosquitoes, frogs, and snakes.
• Bare soil and sparse vegetation attract moles and voles, which in turn attract predators like snakes.

If wildlife has exploited your erosion problems, The Outdoors Group can handle both the wildlife issue and recommend landscape solutions to prevent recurrence.

Call (770) 545-4388 or schedule a free wildlife inspection today.