Drainage Plan: Creating the Best Stormwater Management

Stormwater Management
  • Author: Fazal Umer
  • Posted On: April 1, 2023
  • Updated On: April 1, 2023

Stormwater management is a vital part of keeping any landscape looking its best. When handled well, it traps as much water in plants and soil as is required to keep everything looking verdant and beautiful without creating soggy spots or causing erosion.

Just knowing the end goal won’t necessarily make it possible to achieve it, though. That takes a carefully thought out drainage plan.

Key Parts of an Effective Drainage Plan

There are several areas of any home and yard that need to be addressed when creating a drainage plan.

Homeowners who want to make sure they don’t miss any crucial features can work with a company like Drainage Team to design and implement a professional storm water management plan, but those who want to try their hand at design will need to consider interconnected areas such as the following.

Roofs and Gutters

The first place rain typically starts to accumulate in significant amounts is in a home’s gutters. The gutters serve a vital role, helping to prevent water from pooling around the home’s foundation.

Keeping both the roof and gutters free from debris can help to ensure that storm surge makes its way into the gutters and does not overflow before it reaches the downspouts.

Downspouts and Drainage

Once the water makes its way off the roof and out of the gutters, it’s routed down the downspout to a safe discharge point. If the water is discharged too close to the home, it can cause all the same problems as water overflowing from the gutters, backing up around the home’s foundation, and creating the potential for serious structural damage.

Ensuring that the downspouts route rainwater away from the foundation to a dry well, creek, storm water basin, or rain garden helps to protect both the home and the landscape.

Grading and Erosion Control

Grading the land away from the house and any gardens that feature plants requiring xeric soils helps to prevent pooling water and mud near the home. However, if water is moving fast, significant slopes can become prone to erosion. Some of the most popular ways to prevent erosion include:

  • Choosing erosion-resistant plants and keeping lawns healthy so their roots remain intact.
  • Installing trench drains and other man-made drainage systems.
  • Creating berms or swales to slow the water down and route it to where it needs to go.
  • Installing pervious pavement for driveways and walkways that holds soil in place but allows water to move through.

Pools and Decks

Dealing with drainage problems around pools and decks can be an incredible hassle. If water leaks under the deck, it can lead to washouts and winter frost heaves, both of which can do significant damage.

If storm surge instead enters the pool, it will disrupt the pH and can introduce dirt, debris, or even dangerous chemicals, depending on the area. To avoid these problems, the deck should be at a high point in the landscape and the pool edge should be elevated.

When to Hire a Professional

If a landscape’s drainage situation is poor, it’s worth hiring a professional drainage contractor who can help with establishing and implementing a plan. Drainage contractors have access to equipment that makes everything from grading soil to installing large pipes and catch basins simple.

Plus, they have experience with landscape architecture that allows them to determine not just the best way to deal with stormwater runoff but also how to incorporate appropriate drainage methods so that they benefit the overall landscape. For complex projects, hiring a professional is worth the money.

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Author: Fazal Umer

Fazal is a dedicated industry expert in the field of civil engineering. As an Editor at ConstructionHow, he leverages his experience as a civil engineer to enrich the readers looking to learn a thing or two in detail in the respective field. Over the years he has provided written verdicts to publications and exhibited a deep-seated value in providing informative pieces on infrastructure, construction, and design.

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