Keeping water away in the short term would probably help them.

Acer Rubrum loves water. You must be getting alot to bother its cousin.

Anything more temporary you can do to direct the water away?

Do some internet searching. What I'm concerned with is if this year is the "wettest ever" you'll be draining water away from the location for life when 99 out of the other 100 years of the next century they'd be fine or prefer a natural/normal amount of water.

On the flip side if the property is new to you and every five years it rains this much then you probably have to deal with improving drainage.

How are big, established sugar maples around you looking? The ones in low spots having a rough time as well? Everything is more dainty in its first year or two in the ground.

How large are your transplants?

Why are you so certain the trees are ''sitting in water?''
Were the planting holes amended? Were these container trees or b&b?
Are sugar maples doing the same elsewhere in the area?
Did anything else happen to them or near them recently such as chemical treatments or digging?

Toronado 3800 & gardningrandma,

I've lived here 34 years. This a different summer. Local farmers can't recall this much rain.

I do have two Maples (at the end of the driveway) that are 5 years old and are doing good.

The 26 transplants were 2.5" to 3" diameter and B & B when planted spring of '09.

You are right about the drain tile keeping water away for life just for this one non-typical year.

FYI-my yard is 7.2 acres; have had no digging/construction/chemical treatments done within 10 years.

I do have 6 additional transplants (same tree) located at the rear of my property which has better drain and they are doing fine.

I'm thinking that I need to have a serious discussion with the 'big guy' upstairs and asking for a reprieve from all the rain.

"I'm thinking that I need to have a serious discussion with the 'big guy' upstairs and asking for a reprieve from all the rain."

lol!

Its been strange here as well. The water table is very high. Has killed off some of my own plantings.

Let me know how things turn out. Everything I can think of has benefits and draw backs.

French drains are permanent. So is any kind of berm or dam you build to redirect drainage.

A wild idea is to dig a hole and insert a dirty water pump into a hole and trying that. Then you might waste a few hundred bucks though if the area draining to it is just to huge. Not to mention getting electricity to the pump and the trouble if the situation lasts ALL SUMMER.

The dirty water pump did cross my mind but my front yard is 400' x 350'. Big space with all that rain running towards the ditch lines and my trees. Today is Monday and no rain. Maybe, we're starting something new here in Wisconsin. Thanks for all your help. Good luck in St. Louis. P.S. Take it easy on our Milwaukee Brewers.