Traditionally, road and lot drainage systems have been designed to convey storm runoff away as quickly as possible to reduce localized ponding. This drainage concept, using curb-gutter-sewer systems, has led to downstream flooding, erosion, water-quality degradation, reduced groundwater recharge and stream baseflow, and aquatic habitat destruction. This paper examines the pros and cons of curb-gutter-sewer systems and qualitatively compares various forms of open ditch -swale drainage alternatives with the conventional curb-gutter-sewer drainage system. These open ditch - swale drainage alternatives not only provide drainage functions but also promote infiltration, trap sediments, and reduce flow velocity along the drainage path. Thus, they can reduce erosion, enhance runoff quality, and increase groundwater recharge. However, they usually require a wider right-of-way than the conventional curb-gutter-sewer systems and may not be suitable for sites with steep topography or erosive soils. For sites that are suitable for the application of these alternative drainage systems, their environment functions make them more attractive than the conventional curb-gutter-sewer system.
Technical study of drawbacks of conventional curb and gutter summarized
Please click on image of storm drain and curb and gutter with a curb cut that brings water OFF the adjacent absorbent wetland to the street and drain opening and thus rapidly to nearby, springfed Clabber Creek in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This fails to recharge the stream in the normal way and destroys the ability of the land to prevent flooding downstream and to cleanse the water. The alternative would be a slightly higher street with curb cuts pouring the water onto the wetland rather than draining the wetland. Such areas obviously should not be developed intensively. Old-fashioned construction of buildings without filling for a base and without a concrete foundation would be the only way anything should be allowed on such prairie soil. Well-engineered modern versions of the simple construction of houses on piers should be designed and required. Old streets in many parts of the city that have existing streetside ditches should be improved only with careful protection of vegetated swales and must include education of the owners and residents of adjacent property on the value of protecting their existing potential "natural stormgardens" rather than seeking to drain their land. Teaching good stewardship of wetland is a city responsibility.
The city's approval of the Creek Meadow at Springwoods subdivision plan was shortsighted and the failure of the developer to complete the project is a blessing because it offers a chance to see that any development that new owners of the foreclosed property propose will be minimized and revised to follow progressive wetland-protection and stormwater-retention concepts.
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11 comments:
Where were you?
I don't recall your speaking out against this particular project BEFORE it was approved.
You make a convincing argument and maybe this site will be built-out in a more reasonable way. But you need to get ahead of the city on this stuff. The madness will continue if you don't!
Aub, I've heard you say all these things before, just not in relation to Springwoods.
I bet most of the planning staff members would agree. They are just bound by outdated rules to follow and, in the past, there has been tremendous political pressure to give it up to the greedy.
Plenty of low-impact development experts certainly would agree with you.
Aub, are you watching the Super Bowl?
If you are doing anything else, you just missed the play of the year in the NFL.
Turn it on. You need to get your head indoors for tonight!
Yes, I saw that play. Spectacular. As in the days of Bradshaw, the Steeler defense was responsible for more wins than the big, burly quarterback!
Are you a Steeler fan?
Guys, I am watching the game. Google told me I had a comment.
7:52, you are correct. The steelers' best years are always the work of the defense.
I too am a Steeler fan, having followed them since Bradshaw was drafted No. 1 overall from Louisiana Tech. I graduated from Tech in 1963 and was teaching English at Northeast Louisiana (now ULM) in Monroe when Bradshaw was playing at Tech. So I saw the big guy play several games in Ruston and Shreveport.
Terry's parents attended my father's funeral in Ringgold, La., in the early 1990's. Nice people. Both still looked like athletes themselves at that time. Tall, strong and healthy! Haven't seen them since.
Aub, is the Steeler QB now as good as Bradshaw was?
I suspect Terry would say yes!
Now, can someone comment on the topic, please?
How about using the sewers and such already in the ground and setting up a subdivision of manufactured homes that can be built so that the water can flow beneath them and sink in as it does now?
The bank that foreclosed may be happy to sell the land to Habitat for humanity or Fayetteville's Housing Authority to build low-cost homes and some kind of funding might be used to subsidize the project.
After years of kicking low-income people out of mobile-home parks for developer's sake, do you really expect real focus on low-income housing to begin now?
I see what you mean about Aub's coverage. This is more like what I would expect.
But it looks like he and others got carried away by football on Saturday. The power outage kept me from watching at home and my wife wouldn't let me go out looking for a sports bar that night!
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