I think the kind of roller that can be handled by an individual will not
be much use in removing ruts. I would suggest, as the easiest fix, you
overfill the ruts with top soil, then roll the area, but be prepared to
do it again next year after the dirt has had time to settle. I think
that's pretty much what they do with gravesites.

If you have the time and energy, a better solution might be to rototill
the whole area (destroying the grass, alas), then smooth the surface,
then roll it and reseed, or sod if you wish.

I have no experience with septic, so I won't venture a guess as to how
much weight it can support.

wrote:
I need to fix a yard that has ruts due to moles and erosion that
increased the depth of the ruts to be deep enough to twist an ankle.
I figured that I could roll the lawn to decrease the depth of the ruts
and then fill in the remaining crevices with topsoil.

I do have a septic system, so one question I have is whether or not to
use the roller over the septic, or just avoid that area.

Are the rollers available at the local lawn and garden (280lbs when
full of water) effective or what weight range do I need to consider (I
have a lawn tractor to pull it with)?

Or should I rent a roller from a supply store?

Should I avoid the septic area, or is it all right to roll it once
every x-number years?

Will the roller (at whatever weight) do the job of compressing the
lawn, or should get topsoil first to assist with the leveling process?

Should I aerate any area prior to rolling, in order to get more
compaction in the trouble areas?

TIA,
Dave