Storm Water Management

The storm is here and storm water can become a problem without proper precautions. Since there are no one-size-fits- all drainage solution for your property, there are certain measures that can be taken to improve the general drainage on your site.

1) Gutter Cleanout

This simply means insuring your gutters are free and clear. If the gutter is clogged, flooding will occur. Make sure all debris is cleared and water can flow freely.

2) Maintain Drain Areas

Making sure routine mainteneance happens in these areas is key. Grass can oftentimes quickly grown over drains and fill bioswales. Heavy rain can also wash mulch and debris toward the drains and cause blockages. A great solution is to edge out the surrounding area and lay down gravel.

3) Install Bioswales

What is a bioswale you may ask? "Bioswales are landscape elements designed to remove silt and pollution from surface runoff water. They consist of a swaled drainage course with gently sloped sides (less than six percent) and filled with vegetation, compost and/or riprap. The water's flow path, along with the wide and shallow ditch, is designed to maximize the time water spends in the swale, which aids the trapping of pollutants and silt. Depending upon the geometry of land available, a bioswale may have a meandering or almost straight channel alignment. Biological factors also contribute to the breakdown of certain pollutants."

-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioswale

By installing these, surrounding landscaped areas are protected from flooding.

4) Regrade the Land

Over time, the earth moves and land settles. Property can develop sunken spots and result in drainage problems. Grading can be helpful in addtion to a drainage plan. Water must flow somewhere so having a drain plan is also necessary.