About a year ago I began an epic project to solve a major issue with my back yard. Seasonal flooding. Here is a quick run down of the situation with my back yard.
-Low spot (water doesn't drain)
-Solid clay under soil
-Lot behind me is on an incline
 Those three factors caused two main problems. My backyard becomes a swampy mess this time of year, and the soil saturation reaches a critical level and leaks into my basement :( 
Last year I decided to figure out a solution that would solve both problems and not cost me a fortune. I devised a plan to build a drainage field and install a pumping system to collect and move the water to a part of the yard which drains into the street. The project took me about two months (working solo) and cost about $300.  That was a year ago, and this is the first Spring thaw with the system installed. I still consider it a prototype, but the test results have been perfect. Last week the all the snow melted in a period of three days and then it rained two days straight. Not a single leak in the basement, and the ground in the backyard remains firm. It's been sunny for the past three days and I can still hear the system belching out water like clock work. 
It was a lot of hard work, and I wanted to share this because its something I'm really proud of. It is an amazing feeling when you have a good idea and can bring it to life the way you imagined.