Nanaimo Drainage & Excavation Academy
Understand the water, the ground and the work before planning your next project.
Before the next Nanaimo rain: a safe drainage check
Use a before, during and after-rain observation plan to record roof runoff, surface flow, drainage inlets and foundation warning signs safely.
Read the guideRainwater planning · October 5, 2026Rain gardens and roof runoff: five checks before digging in Nanaimo
Check soil, overflow, foundations and drainage responsibilities before redirecting a downspout or building a rain garden in Nanaimo and the mid-Island.
Read the guideInteractive learningHydrostatic Pressure & Foundation Stress Simulator
Explore drain efficiency and rainfall scenarios, with a changing pressure illustration and warning signs.
Open the simulatorStart hereWhy Yard & Perimeter Drainage Systems Fail in Nanaimo: The Complete Mid-Island Homeowner's Guide.
Understand the causes before choosing a repair.
Interactive checklistFive warning signs to check
Record symptoms and find the appropriate next step.
Case StudiesRecent local projects
Recent projects from Nanaimo and the mid-Island. Coming soon.
More adviceHomeowner guides
Explore excavation, wall drainage and project planning.
Connect learning with your property
Learn when to discuss perimeter drain repair with a drainage contractor, and how a retaining wall fits into the wider drainage plan.
Fairytale Structural & Seismic Diagnostic Simulator
Explore how ground movement and water conditions can affect pipes, foundations and walls around a Nanaimo property.
Educational scenarios only. These controls do not measure offshore energy, local shaking, soil moisture or a water table. This is not a live tracker, earthquake prediction or structural diagnosis. Your home’s actual risk is not calculated.
Choose a scenario, not an observed fault condition. Offshore activity cannot be converted directly into shaking at your home; distance, depth, ground conditions and the building matter.
Surface runoff, soil saturation and groundwater elevation are different conditions. This simplified control groups them for learning; a wet lawn does not measure the water table.
Home Foundation Risk Assessment Report
Educational scenario report—not an assessment of your home.
Baseline movement and dry-soil scenario selected. Low settings do not establish that a property is safe or free of defects.
Soil movement & perimeter drains
No shaking is assumed in this scenario. Settlement, poor support or existing damage can still affect a drain.
- New ground settlement, separated drain connections or displaced paving.
- Repeated blockages, new pooling or changing drainage performance.
Relative ground movement can separate joints or shear rigid pipes. These symptoms alone do not prove seismic damage.
Water behind retaining walls
The dry-soil scenario does not show water building up, but hidden drainage conditions remain unknown.
- New leaning, bowing, displaced blocks or erosion at the wall base.
- Persistent seepage, pooling above the wall or a blocked visible outlet.
Hydrostatic pressure requires water to accumulate. Soil type, backfill, outlet condition and wall design matter; saturation alone cannot determine the load.
Foundation & crawlspace changes
A baseline setting cannot rule out pre-existing cracks, moisture or settlement.
- New or widening cracks, offsets across cracks or fresh gaps at supports.
- New uneven floors, sticking doors or visible movement at accessible crawlspace supports.
Photograph changes from a safe location and record dates. Do not enter a flooded or visibly damaged crawlspace. Crack appearance alone cannot establish the cause or structural safety.
Local environmental observations
No environmental observations or study results are being read by this tool.
Record when physical changes appear and compare the timing with documented rainfall or confirmed shaking. Coincidence does not establish cause. Unusual wildlife or orca sightings are not reliable earthquake predictors and cannot diagnose structural anomalies.
Consult Earthquakes Canada for official seismic information.
Site-specific soil, drainage and structural information is needed before drawing conclusions about your property.
Act on actual damage, not slider positions. Keep clear of an unstable wall or visibly damaged building and seek a qualified structural or geotechnical professional. For immediate danger, call 911. Follow official emergency instructions during or after an earthquake.
How this learning tool works & sources
The sliders select written educational scenarios. There is no validated risk formula, magnitude conversion, location lookup, fault monitoring, sensor data or connection to a private research study. Nothing you select is sent to Fairytale or stored. Saturated loose sand or silt can lose strength during strong shaking; wet clay is not automatically a liquefaction site.
A camera inspection can investigate accessible pipe interiors. It cannot certify a foundation, assess a wall’s structural stability or predict an earthquake. Technical investigations are paid services; access, suitability and scope are discussed before booking.
Book a Precision Camera Inspection.