Question
Hi,
My neighbor's yard is a bit higher than mine for maybe 20 feet until it levels off toward the back.  Some rain run off from under his privacy fence finds its way onto my yard and I channel it on back to the area where it levels off.  Incidentally, we have no conflicts about the issue.  He also channels the water on his side.  We both have a lower back yard.  

But I would like to limit the water that even makes it through/under the privacy fence to my side, so I was thinking of some kind of barrier right up against the fence on my side.  I was thinking of something like flexible metal flashing--the kind maybe l8-24" wide and I would bury it a few inches and roll it out for about that 20 feet I mentioned above.  Then I would line some concrete blocks and dirt up against it to keep it in place.

But that is a lot of trouble.  Alternatively, I was thinking of simply using the concrete blocks against the fence and dirt for the 20' length.  

So would you have any other idea or would you just go with one of mine?  

Thanks.

Answer
Hello:

I wouldnt dam water against a wooden fence and depending on how much water is dammed,you may be causing more problems on your neighbors side. Perhaps a curb and gutter set back from the fence would be more appropriate or a swale and this would look better than flashing and concrete block.

Or you may want to look into doing subsurface drainage with french drain and pipe or catch basins depending on where the disposal point is for the water.

Mark Harshman