Where does the water enter, and where can it leave?
A wet waterfront yard is a symptom with several possible causes. Rain may collect behind the wall, tide may enter through a low point or outlet, and groundwater can behave differently again. Record when water appears, how long it remains and whether it follows rain, high tide or both.
A useful drainage assessment follows the complete path. It should consider grades, outlets, the material behind the wall and the receiving water level.
Keep a simple wet-weather log
| Record | Why it helps |
|---|---|
Time and date | Allows comparison with weather and published tide predictions. |
First wet location | Distinguishes a wall joint, outlet, low cap or street-side source. |
Rain before the event | Helps separate rainfall drainage from dry-weather tide effects. |
Water after the tide drops | Raises a question about trapped drainage or another source. |
The historic NOAA St. Augustine station is not a live sensor beside your property. Do not use predicted tides as a substitute for a measured storm water level.
Do not alter an outlet by guesswork
Ask the designer whether the existing drainage arrangement is suitable and how soil is kept from escaping through it. Adding holes, sealing a working drain or installing a check valve without design review can change the way the wall and retained ground behave.
- Identify which outlets belong to your parcel.
- Ask who maintains an outlet shared with a neighbor or public system.
- Include access for inspection and cleaning in the proposed design.
- Ask how the detail behaves when the receiving water is high.
A private wall cannot settle every public drainage issue
Tell the City or County if the observed water path involves a road, public outfall or easement. Keep the public-system report separate from your private repair request. An individual contractor should not be asked to promise the performance of an entire drainage basin.
The local guides explain documented flood projects and the questions they raise for nearby properties.
Building Permit Information: bulkhead/retaining wall · Building Department
Ask for an understandable drainage drawing
The proposal should show current and proposed outlets, retained grades, the intended water path and the limits of the work. Have the designer explain remaining flood exposure in ordinary language.
For depressions or soil movement, read the soil stabilization guide too. Replacing missing material without addressing its escape path may leave the original problem unresolved.
Use timing to make the drainage visit more useful
The yard becomes wet after rain
Note where runoff arrives, how long ponding remains and which drains or outlets you can observe safely. Show the contractor roof discharges, paving and recent landscape changes. Ask them to trace the complete route.
Water appears with higher water levels
Record the time, weather and apparent entry point. Ask the reviewer to distinguish overtopping, backflow, seepage and unrelated surface runoff. Similar-looking puddles can need different investigations.
Do not plug or enlarge a wall opening to test a theory. Have the qualified reviewer establish its purpose and the permitted arrangement. A useful proposal shows where water goes, how soil is retained and how outlets can be inspected or maintained. Ask what observation after the work would indicate the problem remains unresolved.
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- St. Augustine station 8720576Source reviewed 2026-10-26
- Building Permit Information: bulkhead/retaining wallSource reviewed 2026-10-26
- Building DepartmentSource reviewed 2026-10-27