French drains and yard drainage for Clarksville

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your address and what the water is doing.

2. We connect you

   Your call goes to an independent drainage contractor that serves the Clarksville area.

3. They call you back

   They walk the yard, explain the fix and quote it directly.

Who is this for?

Homeowners in Clarksville, Sango, St. Bethlehem, Woodlawn, the rest of Montgomery County and next door in Oak Grove, Kentucky, who have water where they don't want it: a low corner of the lawn that stays soft for days, a basement or crawl space that takes on water, gutters that empty right against the foundation, or a slope that washes mulch and soil into the driveway every storm. It's also for buyers and sellers who were told by an inspector that the grading or drainage needs attention before closing.

Why does water sit in Clarksville yards?

Three local things work together. First, rain: the 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Clarksville average about 53.5 inches of precipitation a year, so yards here get tested often. Second, soil: Clarksville sits on the Highland Rim, where soils formed from thin loess over limestone, and University of Tennessee Extension describes the subsoils on sloping ground as clayey and cherty. Clay takes water in slowly, so a heavy storm runs off the surface or ponds instead of soaking in. Third, new construction: many subdivisions were graded quickly, and a yard that drained fine when the house was built can settle, get re-landscaped or lose its swale to a fence or shed.

What about sinkholes?

Montgomery County is karst country. Water moving through cracks in the limestone slowly dissolves it, and when enough rock is gone the soil above can drop into a cone-shaped depression. The county's stormwater program says sinkholes are common here, that filling one can change how runoff and groundwater move, and that a civil engineer or geotechnical professional should be consulted before anyone tries to fix one. It also says any change that sends more runoff into a sinkhole must be permitted by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's Underground Injection Control (UIC) section. That matters for drainage work: a good contractor will not just pipe your downspouts into the nearest low spot. More in our Montgomery County drainage guide.

Common drainage fixes

• French drains collect water that soaks into a soggy area or runs along a slope and carry it away in a gravel-wrapped perforated pipe.
• Downspout drain lines take roof water underground and release it well away from the house.
• Grading and swales reshape the surface so water flows away from the foundation and along a shallow channel to a safe outlet.
• Sump pumps and crawl space water handle water that's already under the house.
• Dry wells and channel drains catch water at driveways and patios or hold it underground where there's no place to pipe it.

Warning signs

• Puddles that are still there a day or two after the rain stops
• Soil washing out around the foundation or under a patio slab
• Gutters overflowing, or downspouts emptying right beside the house
• Standing water, mud or a musty smell in the crawl space
• Mulch, gravel or topsoil washing onto the driveway or sidewalk
• A new depression or hole in the yard that keeps getting deeper

Where can the water legally go?

Somewhere that doesn't make it your neighbor's problem. Redirecting a concentrated stream of water onto the lot next door is a common cause of disputes, and city and county stormwater rules govern changes to drainage. A drainage plan should show where the water ends up: a street curb, an existing ditch or swale, a pop-up emitter in your own yard, or a properly designed dry well. On larger regrading jobs, ask whether a city or county grading or stormwater permit is needed before work starts.

Do I need to call 811 first?

Yes. French drains, drain lines and grading all involve digging. Tennessee 811 says homeowners and professional excavators both need a locate request, it's free, and a normal request needs at least three working days' notice. If you hire a contractor, the contractor needs its own ticket. In Oak Grove, Kentucky has its own one-call system, Kentucky 811.

Does a drainage contractor need a license in Tennessee?

For a project of $25,000 or more, Tennessee requires a contractor's license from the Board for Licensing Contractors. Smaller jobs in Montgomery County don't fall under the state's separate home improvement license, which only nine counties have adopted. That means a lot of drainage work here is done by unlicensed landscapers, so ask for insurance, local references and a written scope. See our tips for hiring a drainage contractor.

Are you a drainage company?

No. Clarksville French Drains is a referral service. We connect you with an independent drainage contractor that serves your address, and that contractor quotes, performs and stands behind the work. Read the Montgomery County drainage guide before you hire anyone.

Areas we cover

• Clarksville
• Sango and east Montgomery County
• St. Bethlehem and north Clarksville
• Oak Grove, Kentucky

Planning ahead? Read our Montgomery County drainage guide.