The Need for Effective Stormwater Management BMP in Residential Areas

According to a study by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), the Midwest and Great Lakes region has seen a 31 percent increase in heavy rainfall and snow events over the last 50 years. In Ohio, when these events occur, floodwater and stormwater runoff typically flow over urban grounds. This can overwhelm an area’s sewer infrastructure and pour into local waterways, thereby seriously disturbing local ecosystems and water quality.

One Akron, Ohio resident in particular saw Yellow Creek waters tear through her backyard and take half of her home in a recent flood. The resident, Brenda McShaffery, attests to what the NOAA scientists are alluding to: it’s raining more often in Ohio. This should compel residents to consider implementing effective solutions, one of which is subsurface drainage.

Although more commonly seen in industrial and agricultural settings, these have residential counterparts that can address a home’s flooding or water-logging problem. Subsurface storm water management systems, like StormChamber® systems by HydroLogic Solutions, are cost efficient, effective at preventing floods, and rife with water management options. As a bonus, they come with plenty of short and long term benefits. Some of these include improvement of soil quality, reduced mineral imbalances in the soil, and plants that respond better to fertilizer use.

There are three problem areas that necessitate the implementation of a subsurface stormwater management system in a household. These are: heavy clay soils, high water table, and excessive rain runoff.

Heavy clay soils

Clay soil has a natural density that water cannot easily permeate, and this contributes to this soil type’s inability to drain runoff effectively. To identify if you have clay soil, pick up some wet soil from your backyard and squeeze it in your hand. If it sticks together and is yellowish, whitish, or reddish in color, then you likely have clay soil.

High water table

During rainy months, increased water volume in the soil causes a rise in an area’s water table. When this happens, water stored deep in the earth’s semi-permeable layers rise toward the surface. If the excess water has nowhere to flow into, it will lead to flooding.

Excessive rain runoff

During heavy rain, runoff from impervious surfaces such as roads and parking lots mean that city drainage systems cannot cope with the large volume of water, and the added water retention in the soil can cause long-lasting water problems for homeowners.

In the end, there’s no doubt that effective stormwater management BMP from companies like StormChamber® can be an effective solution to the potential flooding problems presented by these situations.

(Source: More floods are coming to Summit County, experts say, but who is going to fix it? Cleveland.com, Jan. 16, 2015)