What is the recommended step to take when planning to grade a site to avoid drainage issues?

• A. Check Natural Drainage
• B. Install Control Module
• C. Install Irrigation Lines
• D. Compact The Soil

Answer: (A)

Understanding how water naturally moves across the site is essential before you start grading. Checking natural drainage tells you where water currently flows, where it tends to pool, and where the land is naturally higher or lower. With that information, you can shape the grade so water is directed away from buildings and toward appropriate outlets, while avoiding new low spots that collect runoff. It also helps you plan slopes that promote positive drainage and reduce erosion.

The other steps don’t address drainage planning directly. Setting up an irrigation control module or laying irrigation lines are about delivering water, not shaping how water drains across the site. Compacting the soil can actually worsen drainage by reducing infiltration and increasing surface runoff, so it’s not the right first move when trying to prevent drainage problems.