Do I just get a load of dirt and fill it up? So I put stone or gravel down as a base then fill it with dirt?

You better check with the City / County public works first . Something tells me it's going to be a no go . You may cause drainage issues on adjoining properties .

Does rainwater drain from there or to there? If it acts as a drain from your property, think of where the water will go.

Yup. Before you do anything I'd research the drainage issue as well.
I have a similar culvert in my backyard too that routs rain water and snow melt away from my house. I was going to put some decorative stone in it and build a little foot bridge over.

Are you even allowed to? Would that not mess up the water drainage into and in the neighbor's yard, as well as yours?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: egregore,

Water obviously drains between yards towards his neighbor. I don't think he'd be prohibited.

You would likely have erosion, and a problem keeping that soil from washing away.
Could there be a retaining wall with a 'French' drain setup, with larger rocks at the fenceline and a material layer between gravel and earth to maintain the barrier but not let too much sand/earth through from the topsoil? Drainage maintained, yard leveled.

French drain and hope for the best!

That's a swale or drainage ditch. You make it level ground by installing a culvert.

IT does appear to be a drainage ditch, designed to carry water away from your home and any others next to you, to the street or a retention pond.

The homes behind you are lower, filling it in would push water into their homes.

Check with the city, it's probably not allowed...

Its a drain. mostly fill it with 3" crushed stone, add a layer of fabric, put soil on top and plant. Will be fine.

That's not a culvert. That's just a drainage ditch or swale.

quote:

Originally posted by selogic:
You may cause drainage issues on adjoining properties .

And his own property.

The water's gotta go somewhere. Right now it heads for that drainage and, it looks like, carries on to the left-rear of his photos. Take that drainage away and it's just gonna sit there in his yard. Leave enough of it sitting there and eventually it'll back up to whatever that concrete is, and, eventually, perhaps even the house. Then it might become real fun.

Take it from someone who used to have good drainage that now needs attention--some due to the fact that stuff just moves over time and some from the county and private contractors screwing things up for us.

Looks like whomever lived to the one side of him at some point thought that drainage would be a good place to plant trees. That wasn't particularly smart, either

quote:

Originally posted by hrcjon:
Its a drain. mostly fill it with 3" crushed stone, add a layer of fabric, put soil on top and plant. Will be fine.

Until the voids between the crushed stone eventually fill with sediment and it becomes crushed-stone-riddled-dirt. Then it'll be the same as if he'd just filled it in.

Ask me how I know.

Well, I wouldn't touch it. There are a lot of things you COULD do but all will require ongoing maintenance and I would have to think seriously if my desire to have that flat was more than the aggravation of maintaining it.

honestly I'd leave it

i like the work that it does keeping water away from your patio / house / foundation

maybe a tad unsightly -- but it serves a purpose

what is your primary motivation for wanting it gone?

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quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
That's a swale or drainage ditch. You make it level ground by installing a culvert.

Here, here!

Black,

I would discuss it with the neighbor, and see where the ditch goes on his property and beyond. There may be a reason for it. Alternately, there may have been a reason for it at one time that no longer exists. But as others have said, some research is called for.

It's there for a reason. To keep uphill water from going downhill. Your deed (restrictions) may shed light.

The asshole behind me did similar because he didn't like the ponding that was designed into the runoff plan for our neighborhood. It was a bitch to the county to have him remove the berm he made blocking water in my yard. God I hate that asshole with ever part of my being. The battles I have had with him and the county are amazing. This weekend he stung illegal wiring from his half finished garage to his particle board shed. I hope he dies or moves soon.

Now the other guy behind me has done the same thing. Instead of fighting with the county or neighbors, I am just going to declare war and get 8-9 cubic yards of dirt delivered and make my property higher. If they won't play by the rules, then I won't. I am on the high ground, I can win the war.

Sorry for the rant, to answer your your question, it's best to check with county and see if allowed then consult with an expert to figure out the best way to do it. Replacing the ditch with a gravel filled culvert with large diameter corrugated tube under the gravel is likely your best bet.

Does it ever have standing or running water through it? The photos look like it’s the beginning of a drain. I’d say you could level it up some with rock or pea gravel with fabric lining and it wouldn’t drastically reduce the drainage ability if it’s not large volume drain otherwise. I would not make it perfectly level but I would greatly reduce the depth of the drain making it easier to maintain and more aesthetic while still being functional. Good luck, it will take more material than you anticipate!

I’d cut a shallow trench to hold a length of drainage tile. Leave the shallow end open (drain cap) or covered with some gravel, whichever seems most appropriate. Then cover it up with the gravel, fabric and topsoil.

Of course in reality I’d leave it alone, but I’m a bit lazy in such matters.

Most of the comments here make sense. My suggestions are as follows:
1. Talk with your neighbor to make sure he would be on board with this. He may even want to do something similar and you could share the cost.
2. Verify there is no recorded easement or locality restriction.
3. Lay a layer of landscape fabric down. Lay a 4” correlated black pipe with holes down. Then fill to within 4” of the top with #57 gravel (~3/4”).
4. Install another layer of landscape fabric.
5. Cover with 4” of topsoil. Seed, fertilizer and straw.
6. Kick back and have a cold beer and watch the grass grow!