We are familiar with the construction process. The heavy equipment rolls in and moves soil from one location to another to get everything level. Road crews come next and lay a honeycomb of road networks. Utility crews lay gas and electrical lines, while construction crews are busy pouring foundations. Homebuilders show up next and start working on setting up the frame for the house. And then, like magic, they all leave.
But structures like detention/retention ponds, drainage easements, and storm drainage systems remain. Detention/retention ponds are designed to collect the extra flow from the addition of impervious surfaces (roads, roofs, and driveways) and slow the release of these materials to control flooding.
Drainage easements are put in place to provide water with a route to flow through the neighborhoods without flowing through homes or yards. And storm drainage systems are in place to collect and route the water underground, also to help control flooding.
Storm Water Structure Maintenance
But these structures suffer from degradation after years of use just like our vehicles. And just like our vehicles they need to be well maintained to function properly. The County will be working on creating presentations and brochures to be available for different groups to learn how to maintain these types of structures.
Lawns & Landscaping
Another important note about the post-construction threat to storm water pollution is that of the lawn left for the new home owner. More often than not, all of the vegetation left for the new home owner has just been planted. Trees are often planted with mounds of soil at their base, soil that can become sediment if it is not covered with mulch or something else to prevent it from becoming loose.
Much of the vegetation is in the form of sod plugs, small squares of grass, generally St. Augustine grass. These sod plugs can become dislodged themselves, and can be swept into drainage systems causing significant blockages and leading to local flooding.
Education
The County will be working hard to gather and create materials to be distributed to new home owners addressing some of these issues and many more. Once these materials have been collected, they will be available on this page and during storm water presentations throughout the County.