French drains and yard drainage in Mobile, Alabama

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your address and where water collects after a storm.

2. We connect you

   Your call goes to an independent drainage contractor that works in Mobile County.

3. They call you back

   They walk the yard, explain the options and price the job themselves.

Who is this site for?

Homeowners in Mobile, Saraland, Semmes, Tillmans Corner, Theodore and the rest of Mobile County, Alabama, who have water sitting where it shouldn't. That might be a back yard that stays spongy for days after an afternoon storm, a side yard where the fence line never dries, downspouts that empty against the foundation, a driveway that sheets water into the garage, or mud under a house on piers. It's also for buyers, sellers and landlords whose inspection report mentioned grading, gutters or moisture.

Why do Mobile yards hold so much water?

Start with the rain. Mobile averages about 66 inches a year over a 30-year period, and July and August are the wettest months. A 2007 study by WeatherBill, reported by LiveScience, ranked Mobile the rainiest city in the contiguous 48 states. Summer storms often arrive as short, heavy bursts, and a yard that drains fine in a steady drizzle can flood when two inches fall in an hour.

Then add the ground. Elevation runs from about 10 feet on Water Street downtown to about 211 feet at Mobile Regional Airport on the west side, so low parts of town have very little fall toward the bay. Common Coastal Plain soils in this area, like the Malbis series described just across the bay in Baldwin County, have slow-draining subsoil with plinthite and a perched water table from late fall through early spring. When rain lands on soil that is already wet a couple of feet down, it has nowhere to soak in.

What does the city drainage system do, and what doesn't it do?

The City of Mobile's Stormwater Department clears catch basins, culverts and drain pipes, and its director told FOX10 in June 2026 that there are more than 40,000 inlets in the city. Crews can't watch all of them, so the city asks residents to report clogged drains through 311. What the city system doesn't do is move water across your lot to its inlets. That part, from the roof and lawn to the street, a ditch or a safe spot on your property, is the owner's job, and it's the work a drainage contractor does.

What fixes are most common here?

• French drains collect water from saturated soil in a stone-filled trench with a perforated pipe and carry it to an outlet.
• Downspout drain lines pipe roof water underground and release it well away from the house.
• Grading and swales reshape the yard so surface water moves away from the foundation.
• Catch basins and channel drains grab runoff at low spots, patios and the bottom of driveways.
• Crawl space drains and sump pumps handle water that has already collected under a raised house.

What are the warning signs?

• Puddles still in the lawn a full day after the rain stops
• Gutters spilling over the front edge in a downpour
• Soil or mulch washing out from under a slab edge, walkway or pavers
• Water running down the driveway and under the garage door
• A musty smell, damp dirt or standing water in the crawl space
• A bare, mossy or always-green strip of lawn that never dries out

Where is the water allowed to go?

Somewhere it won't harm the house, a neighbor or the public system. Common outlets are the street gutter where allowed, an existing roadside ditch or swale, or a lower, well-drained part of your own yard. Moving water onto a neighbor's lot isn't a fix. In the City of Mobile, the land disturbance permit guide offers a simpler single-family path only when the work doesn't change natural drainage patterns, which is a good reminder that rerouting water is something the city cares about.

Do I need a permit?

Sometimes. The City of Mobile's Engineering Department reviews land disturbance permits, and its guide sets out a simpler path for single-family and duplex lots when less than 4,000 square feet is disturbed and drainage patterns don't change. Filling and grading in a mapped flood zone falls under the city's flood zone development permit, and fill in a Special Flood Hazard Area needs a "No-Rise" certification from an Alabama professional engineer unless the project qualifies for that simpler path. Removing a heritage tree 18 inches or more in diameter needs a separate Urban Forestry permit. Saraland, Semmes and unincorporated Mobile County have their own offices. Our Mobile County drainage guide goes into the details.

Do I have to call 811 first?

Yes. Alabama 811 is free and says to contact it any time you plan to dig, including landscaping. Requests go in at least two full working days before digging, not counting the day you call, and marks are good for 20 working days. Drain trenches run through the same shallow ground as water, gas, cable and irrigation lines.

Are you a drainage company?

No. Mobile French Drains is a referral service. We pass your call or request to an independent drainage contractor that serves your address, and that contractor quotes, performs and warranties the work. Read the Mobile County drainage guide and our hiring tips before you sign anything.

Areas we cover

• Mobile
• Saraland
• Semmes
• Tillmans Corner

Planning ahead? Read our Mobile County drainage guide.