Question
QUESTION: Hello James.  I live in Wisconsin.  We have a small creek that runs across the grass through the backyards of the homes in our neighborhood.  The water used to be visible only in spring and after heavy rains.  It would gently wash through and disappear.  My neighbor recently dug a ditch through his backyard that has resulted in a focused deposit of water into our backyard, creating a flooded situation and a real mess.  There is silt from the ditch, leaves, mulch, etc.  Our grass is brown and dead from the flooding and sitting water.  Where would you suggest I start in repairing the dead grass?  I still have sitting water.  Would you recommend that I construct a ditch to allow water to move through our property more efficiently?  Thank you.

ANSWER: Hi Bill, I'm going to assume you want to fix the problem and are willing to spend money to do it instead of seeking a legal remedy against you neighbor.  In most cases, it is against the law to alter water flow in such a way that it causes damage to other property.
The best fix is to build a catch basin where the water enters you property and carry it by underground pipe back to the surface at the natural point of runoff.  You do not want an open pipe at the low end (unless it empties into a street or a drainage ditch).  You would be channeling the water (like an open ditch) just as your neighbor has done to you.  You want a catch basin where the water can rise and slowly flow out, just as it would across the surface.  This way you are just taking the same volume of water to the same place and it should not effect your downstream neighbors.
Your neighbor should have done the same.  That way his catch basin would stop the leaves and trash that now you are going to have to deal with. It's important to keep the grate clear or the water will still run across your grass.
You may want to consult an engineer to determine the size of the pipe.  It should always be "too big".  "Too small" causes more problems.  Jim

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QUESTION: Thank you, Jim.  You are correct, I am not seeking your help with a legal remedy.  How deep would the "catch basin" be?  On the water "exit" side of our yard there is a drainage ditch.  What type of engineer would evaluate this problem?  Should I contact our local public works department?

Answer
I'd start with your public works department.  Storm water runoff probably falls under their jurisdiction.  They may help you with your problem.
The catch basin and pipe size depends on the amount of water. A   24" x 24" catch basin and a 10" pipe will handle a huge volume of water and is sufficient in most cases, but I'd ask the public works guy what he thinks.  
If they're no help, contact a local grading company and ask them to give you a bid on a fix for the area.  Have them be quite clear on what they intend to install and you'll learn what you need to get the job done.  You may or may not decide to accept their bid.  Jim