Will a landscaper understand why my yard floods every spring?

They should. Yard flooding in Salt Lake and Davis Counties usually comes from two main issues: poor grading and compacted clay soils. A knowledgeable landscaper will start by checking slope away from your home — ideally, soil should drop at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet of foundation. If your yard sits level or dips toward the house, spring runoff has nowhere to go. Clay soils also hold water, creating puddles that linger for days. An experienced landscaper may recommend regrading, adding French drains, or installing catch basins tied into stormwater lines. In Utah’s climate, it’s also common to see irrigation systems contributing to flooding when spring startup happens before soils have fully thawed. When you interview a landscaper, ask how they diagnose drainage issues and what specific solutions they’ve used locally. Their answer should reference grading, soil composition, and local building codes. If they can’t explain flooding in plain terms, look for another contractor.