Water draining trees/shrubs

Question: Several of us live behind a church parking lot that drains down a bank into our crawl spaces. We need guidance as to what trees/shrubs could be planted there that likes a lot of water; doesn't get overly tall; w/o shallow roots, since it is very wet back there. Soil is mostly clay. There had been trees there but since one fell over they were all cut down. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

responder: Cheers,Ricky, UVM Extension Master Gardener Volunteerwww.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardenerWe do not intend to endorse any products we mention or criticize products we do not mention. When we include a link to a resource that recommends a chemical, it is for informational purposes only; the chemicals may not be registered for use in Vermont. Replied June 22, 2023, 6:28 AM EDT
response: Good Morning Joan,Thanks for reaching out, and thanks for sending the photos!Couple quick questions:1. Is your goal to intercept the water to deal with the flooding crawl spaces?2. If the flooding really is coming from the church parking lot, that might be something they can help you deal with. Have you talked to them about it?3. When you say "doesn't get overly tall," do you have a maximum height in mind?

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 22, 2023, 8:26 AM EDT
response: Good Morning Ricky,Thank you for your prompt response. The main issue is the amount of water draining into the crawl spaces, both because the parking lot is dirt and has pools of water. My sump pump runs every 8-10' from Oct. to May. Plus their plower pushes the snow on top of that bank! We have discussed it with them every winter. Our Property Manager has discussed these issues with the church every year. Apparently they do have some sort of drainage up there since their water comes down the hill from Grove St.We have considered Hydrangeas, which I see get up to about 8'. Emerald Green Arborvitae, which can reach up to 30' and I understand has shallow roots. I'm afraid anything that tall would fall on our condos. I haven't measured but I don't believe there is 30' between where they would be planted and the buildings.Joan  On Thursday, June 22, 2023, 06:28:03 AM EDT, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Cheers,Ricky, UVM Extension Master Gardener Volunteerwww.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardenerWe do not intend to endorse any products we mention or criticize products we do not mention. When we include a link to a resource that recommends a chemical, it is for informational purposes only; the chemicals may not be registered for use in Vermont. Replied June 22, 2023, 11:54 AM EDT
response: Thank you, Joan!That's super helpful!While I'm obviously not allowed to give you any engineering advice, I can tell you that water diversion (or infiltration) usually requires some level of earthworks.If your goal is to prevent water from making it into your crawlspace, anything you can do to increase water infiltration and percolation (related, but slightly different concepts) will help. Depending on the condo association regulations, the biggest thing you could do, believe it or not, is to promote a wildflower meadow or a prairie-style patch between the two properties. I've attached a few photos of what this can look like in a Vermont context. None of the plants in those photographs was intentionally planted in that context, they are all volunteers. Additionally, if you want to go more in the grass/prairie direction, there's a great resource from our friends in Minnesota about exactly that:https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/planting-and-maintaining-prairie-gardenSod is a very poor buffer for heavy water events due to its short roots. Simply allowing the grass to grow to its full height will substantially increase the soil's water holding capacity. Many areas are doing this by simply mowing once a year when the soil is dry enough in the spring. (This would also save on condo fees!)If this isn't possible in your situation, there are some fantastic trees and bushes that love wet soils. One of my personal favorites is the dappled willow. It forms a broad bush, gets to about ten feet, loves wet soil, but can survive droughts, and is absolutely beautiful.Penn State has compiled a fantastic list of trees, shrubs, and groundcovers that like wet environments. They even have the hardiness zone listed! https://extension.psu.edu/trees-shrubs-and-groundcovers-tolerant-of-wet-sitesI hope this helps! Hopefully you can get a dry crawlspace and a beautiful view at the same time!

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 22, 2023, 6:15 PM EDT
response: Good evening,Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. There is a drain back there that I'm investigating as well. I will also check out the Penn State site.Regards,Joan  On Thursday, June 22, 2023, 11:54:26 AM EDT, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Cheers,Ricky, UVM Extension Master Gardener Volunteerwww.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardenerWe do not intend to endorse any products we mention or criticize products we do not mention. When we include a link to a resource that recommends a chemical, it is for informational purposes only; the chemicals may not be registered for use in Vermont. Replied June 22, 2023, 6:20 PM EDT
response: Thank you, Joan!Good luck!Cheers,Ricky

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 22, 2023, 6:29 PM EDT
response: I'll let you know what we end up with!Joan  On Thursday, June 22, 2023, 06:20:16 PM EDT, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote: