Why Are There Trees on the Property, but There’s Still a Lot of Water?
Here’s why water can still linger even when trees are present:
1. The Existing Trees Aren’t High‑Water‑Use Species
Many common landscape trees—spruce, pine, ornamental pears, crabapples—use very little water. They look nice, but they don’t pull enough moisture from the soil to lower groundwater.
2. The Trees Are Too Young to Make an Impact
Young trees (0–5 years) have:
- shallow roots
- small canopies
- low transpiration
They simply can’t move enough water yet.
3. The Trees Are Too Old or Declining
Aging trees lose canopy density and root vigor. Less canopy = less evaporation. Less root activity = less water pulled from the soil. A tree can be large but no longer effective.
4. The Wet Area Is Bigger Than the Tree’s Root Zone
If the groundwater problem covers a wide area, a single tree—or even a few—may not be enough. Biodrainage works best with clusters of high‑water‑use species.
5. The Trees Are in the Wrong Location
If the wettest zone is in the back corner but the trees are planted near the house, they’re not accessing the saturated soil where the problem actually is.
6. The Soil Is Heavy Clay
Clay holds water like a sponge. Even thirsty trees struggle to keep up unless they’re species adapted to wet, compacted soils.
7. The Groundwater Source Is Constant
If water is rising from below (not just from rain), typical landscape trees can’t keep pace. You need high‑transpiration, deep‑rooted species specifically chosen for biodrainage.
