Page 2 - PGA Comminty News - April '24

Page 2, PGA C.A.N.! April 2024 April 2024
Northern Notes

Streets, Swales And drain through the soil within several hours or days. When
the swale becomes full, the cleaner surface water will spill
Stormwater Management over the berm and slowly run into a local water body.
Eventually, the remaining ponded water evaporates or
By Katie Roundtree, infiltrates the soil.
Director of Finance and Here Are Some Ways To Maintain Proper Swales
Administration, Northern • Let water pond. Runoff should temporarily pond in
Palm Beach County the swale for 24 to 36 hours, sometimes even up to 72
Improvement District hours.
Streets and swales are • Mow the swale but keep good grass growth. Tall
essential components of grass slows water movement.
the Northern Palm Beach • Remove and compost leaves and grass clippings from
County Improvement will return to normal soon after the rain stops. A more swales.
District’s stormwater widespread and longer-lasting rain event will require more • Minimize the use of fertilizers, pesticides and
management s ys tem. time for local, secondary and regional systems to absorb herbicides within 50 feet of a swale.
The different parts of the the excess water. • Do not pile garbage, trash, leaves, limbs or garden
roadway system help convey stormwater to its ultimate Blockages can sometimes occur, causing undesired debris in swales – this adds pollutants that can wash into
location. Storm sewers are located below the street flooding conditions and making roads impassable. Many downstream waters.
and convey water through pipes to lakes or preserves. stormwater blockages in streets happen because of • Do not pave the swale—this reduces the filtration
Ditches or swales are located along the street and trap clogged storm sewer inlets. Residents are asked to keep and infiltration of runoff.
stormwater for water quality purposes. Finally, the the inlet in the street adjacent to their home clear of all • Do not park vehicles in the swale. This compacts the
roadway itself conveys stormwater to designated locations. obstructions, including leaves, grass and debris. Debris soil, allowing less runoff to soak in. It also destroys the
Understanding the basics of how streets and swales convey at storm sewer inlets also builds up after a storm event, vegetation needed to filter pollutants out of the water.
stormwater is crucial in identifying potential problems. making it an excellent time to check the inlet and ensure • Do not alter the swale’s design. Any changes that
Streets the system works well during the next storm. may affect drainage will require a permit.
Did you know that in very heavy rains, some water Swales As we approach the rainy season in South Florida, it
standing in streets or swales is part of the flood control Chances are, if you’ve lived in South Florida long is crucial to remember that some standing water in streets
design plan and is expected? Streets are designed and built enough, you’ve heard at least one person use the word and swales is normal during heavy rains. Streets and
with curbs and gutters along the street and storm sewers swale. Swales are engineered grassy areas of land that swales are an integral part of the stormwater system. If
underneath the pavement. These curbs and gutters direct appear as a linear, shallow, open channel that stretches you cannot determine the water depth in the street during
stormwater from the pavement into the storm sewers. from the edge of the sidewalk in front of homes (or the or after a rain event, do not drive down the street for your
Storm sewers collect water from the roadway and connect property line if there is no sidewalk) to the edge of the safety. Find an alternate route. Cars can lose traction in
to other drainage systems, which collect water from yards street. Swales are typically vegetated with flood-tolerant, as little as 6 inches of water. If you are unsure how deep
and subdivisions, transporting the stormwater to lakes, erosion-resistant plants. They are one of the most the water is, turn around. It’s much better to play it safe
canals, and other outlets. commonly used stormwater practices to direct runoff from than get stuck.
During heavy rain, when water flows from the streets rural highways and residential streets. Today, swales help NPDES tip: It is important to never dump any debris,
into the lakes, the water level in the neighborhood lake filter runoff and reduce pollutants. including but not limited to landscape waste, garbage or
may appear to rise quickly, but it’s unlikely to last. If A swale slows down the rapid flow of stormwater chemicals into a storm sewer inlet. While bulky materials
the system in your neighborhood works correctly, levels runoff by ponding water between its sloping sides, often can cause flooding, chemicals and other wastes that are
called berms. Ponding slows the flow rate and allows dumped into a storm sewer eventually drain into lakes and
Editorial Board pollutants to settle out of the water. Ponding facilitates canals, which threaten fish and wildlife and pollute the
water. Please check our website for information regarding
water quality improvements through infiltration, filtration
and sedimentary deposition. Collected stormwater must illegal dumping.
Editor: James A. Cioffi
james@jcclaw.com
Feature Writers: Dawn Levinstein, POA
Gail Coppage, POA
Commissioner Maria Marino
Katie Roundtree
Contributing
Reporter: Don Kiselewski

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