Fall leaves and your drains: keeping catch basins and pop-ups clear
Leaves clog catch basins, grates and downspout pop-ups, and clogged drains hold water. How to keep them clear, and when to call.
Short answer: every fall, leaves find the lowest point in your yard, and that is exactly where your drains are. A catch basin or a downspout pop-up full of leaves cannot pass water, so the next heavy rain backs up onto the lawn or toward the house. Clearing them takes a few minutes and a pair of gloves, and it is the cheapest drainage maintenance there is.
What these parts do
- Catch basins are boxes with a grate at ground level, set in low spots. They collect surface water and pass it into a buried line.
- Pop-up emitters sit at the end of a buried downspout line. They open under flow and release water away from the house.
- Grates and inlets along walks and driveways do the same job on a smaller scale.
- Gutters and downspouts feed all of it from the roof.
When leaves block any of these, water stops where it is.
Why fall is the problem season
Leaves arrive all at once, often just before the wet season starts. A clear basin in September can be packed by November. In Georgia, clay soil cannot absorb water quickly, so there is no backup when the drain is blocked. The water goes wherever the grade sends it, which may be the foundation.
A fall clearing routine
- Start at the roof. Clear gutters and downspouts first, or debris keeps washing down.
- Lift the grate on each catch basin. Scoop out leaves, silt and anything else with a gloved hand or a small trowel.
- Look into the basin. You should see the outlet pipe clear. If water sits in the bottom and does not drain, the line below is blocked.
- Check the pop-up emitters. Make sure the cap lifts and the opening is not packed with dirt.
- Flush with a hose. Run water into the basin or downspout and see that it flows out at the far end.
- Clear surface inlets along the driveway and walks.
- Repeat after the main leaf drop. One clearing is rarely enough for a yard with large trees.
What you see and what it means
| Observation | Likely meaning |
|---|---|
| Basin full of leaves, water drains when cleared | Simple clog |
| Water stands in a cleared basin | Blocked or crushed line |
| Pop-up will not open | Debris or a collapsed line |
| Water backs up from the downspout | Line blocked further down |
| Silt built up quickly | Soil washing in from an uphill area |
Keeping the yard's other equipment clear
Fall leaves also bury sprinkler heads and valve box lids, cover rain sensors and clog the grates of landscape lights. If you still run the sprinklers, clear leaves around heads so they pop up and spray freely. A buried head that cannot rise wastes water and leaves dry spots.
Why we come back
We map where water already goes before we dig, and we come back to keep the basins clear. A drain system is only as good as its maintenance, and leaves are the biggest enemy. If you have a system we installed, or one you want checked, that return visit is part of how we think about drainage.
What fixes cost
French drains start at $65 per linear foot on our price list, and installing a new catch basin or burying a downspout is quoted after we see the yard. Clearing a basin yourself costs nothing. If you find a blocked line, call us before you start digging, since there may be more than one problem.
When to call us
Call if water stands in a cleared basin, if a pop-up will not open, if water backs up to the house during a storm, or if you are tired of the same wet spot. See the pricing page for drainage prices, our work, or request a quote.
FAQ
How often should I clear my catch basins in fall? Check them before the leaf drop and again after the heaviest fall of leaves. Yards with large trees may need more.
Can I use a pressure washer to clear a blocked line? It can push the clog further in. A garden hose flush is safer, and a stubborn blockage deserves a professional look.
Why does my yard flood only in fall? Leaves clog drains just as the rainy season begins, so the drain cannot pass water that it handled fine in summer.
What does a French drain cost? French drains start at $65 per linear foot on our price list.
Prices from our price list. Updated October 2026.