Yard drainage in Bradfordville and Killearn Lakes
Drainage help for the rolling, wooded neighborhoods of north Leon County.
Bradfordville is an unincorporated community about eight miles north of Tallahassee, where US 319 meets County Road 0342, just south of the Georgia state line. It counted 19,183 residents in 2020 and sits at the east-southeast edge of Killearn Lakes Plantation, a large residential development. The land here is rolling hills and ravines dotted with small lakes and ponds, with Lake Iamonia to the northwest.
Ravines, ponds and slow clay
Lots that back up to a ravine or slope toward a pond can collect runoff from several neighbors at once. Where clay sits beneath the topsoil, that water lingers in back yards long after a storm. Killearn Lakes is one of the places known to flood in extremely heavy rain, so the first question on many jobs here is how much water is coming from beyond the property line.
County rules apply
Because this area is outside Tallahassee city limits, Leon County, not the City, handles development review. The county's Development Support and Environmental Management department issues environmental management permits and checks projects against stormwater standards. If your neighborhood has an HOA, shared lake or recorded drainage easement, check those rules too before regrading or piping water toward a pond.
Typical north-side jobs
- Swales that guide hillside runoff around the house
- Curtain drains above walk-out lower levels
- Long buried downspout runs to a daylight outlet in a ravine
- Erosion repair on steep, wooded back slopes
Common questions
Is Bradfordville part of Tallahassee?
No. It's an unincorporated community and census-designated place, so Leon County rules and permits apply rather than the City's.
Can I drain my yard into the neighborhood lake?
Check your HOA documents and plat first. Shared lakes and drainage easements often come with rules about what can be connected to them.
Services in Bradfordville
- French drainsGravel-and-pipe trenches that dry out soggy lawns and catch water seeping off a slope.
- Downspout drain linesBuried solid pipe that carries roof water away from the slab to a safe outlet.
- Regrading and swalesReshape the ground so runoff flows around the house to a safe spot.
- Sump pumps and crawl space waterPump out water that collects under raised floors and fix what's feeding it.
- Channel drains and dry wellsCatch sheet flow at driveways and patios, or hold water on lots with no outlet.
Nearby areas
Yard turning into a pond after every summer storm?
Call and a local drainage contractor will come look at where the water starts and where it can safely go.