Page 8 - Abacoa Community News - June '21

Page 8, Abacoa
Northern Notes

Streets, Swales And flow but allows pollutants to settle out of the water.
Ponding facilitates water quality improvements through
Stormwater Management infiltration, filtration and sedimentary deposition.
Collected stormwater is expected to drain away through
By Katie Roundtree, the soil within several hours or days. When the swale
Finance Director, Northern becomes full, the cleaner surface water will spill over the
Palm Beach County berm and slowly run into a local water body. Eventually,
Improvement District the remaining ponded water will either evaporate or
Streets and swales are an infiltrate into the soil.
important part of Northern Here are some ways to maintain proper swales:
Pa l m Bea c h Count y • Let water pond. Runoff should temporarily pond in
Improvement District’s the swale for 24 to 36 hours, sometimes even up to 72
ove ra l l st orm wa t e r hours. As we approach the rainy season in South Florida, it
management system. The • Mow the swale but keep it at a good grass growth. is important to keep in mind that some standing water in
storm sewers located below Tall grass slows water movement. streets and swales is normal during heavy rains. Streets
the street, ditches or swales • Remove and compost leaves and grass clippings from and swales are an integral part of the stormwater system.
located along the street, and the roadway itself serve to swales. If during or after a rain event you arrive upon a roadway
convey stormwater to designed locations. It is important • Minimize the use of fertilizers, pesticides and where you cannot determine the depth of the water in
to understand the basics of how streets and swales are herbicides within 50 feet of a swale. the street – for your own safety – do not drive down the
used to convey stormwater, in order to identify when • Do not pile garbage, trash, leaves, limbs or garden street. Find an alternate route. Cars can lose traction in
problems may occur. debris in swales – this adds pollutants which can wash as little as 6 inches of water. If you are not sure of how
Streets into downstream waters. deep the water is, turn around.
Did you know that in very heavy rains, some water • Do not pave the swale — this reduces the filtration NPDES tip: It is important to never dump any debris,
standing in streets or swales is part of the flood control and infiltration of runoff. including but not limited to landscape waste, garbage or
design plan and is expected? Many streets are designed • Do not park vehicles in the swale— this compacts the chemicals into a storm sewer inlet. While bulky materials
and built with curbs and gutters along the street and storm soil so less runoff soaks in. It also destroys the vegetation can cause flooding, chemicals and other wastes that are
sewers underneath the pavement. The curbs and gutters in the swale that is needed to filter the pollutants out of dumped into a storm sewer eventually drain into lakes and
direct stormwater from the pavement into the storm the water. canals, which threaten fish and wildlife and pollute the
sewers. These storm sewers not only collect water from • Do not alter the design of the swale. Any changes water. Please check our website for information regarding
the roadway, but also connect to other drainage systems will require a permit as they may affect drainage. illegal dumping.
to collect water from yards and subdivisions and transport
the stormwater to lakes, canals and other outlets.
neighborhood lake’s water level may seem to rise quickly Experience Dentistry with a Woman’s Touch

As water flows from the streets into the lakes, your
during heavy rain, but that’s not likely to last. If the
system in your neighborhood is working properly, levels
will return to normal soon after the rain has stopped. Cosmetic & Comprehensive Restorative Dentistry
A more widespread and longer-lasting rain event will
require more time for local, secondary and regional State of the Art & Same Day Restorations
systems to absorb the excess water.
At times, blockages can occur, which can cause Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Sedation Available
undesired flooding conditions and roads to become
impassable. Many stormwater blockages in streets occur
due to clogged storm sewer inlets. If there is an inlet in Joanne Green, D.D.S.
the street adjacent to your home, residents are asked to
keep this drain clear of all obstructions including leaves, 10887 N. Military Trail, Suite 6
grass and debris. Debris at storm sewer inlets also build Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
up after a storm event, which is a good time to check the
inlet to make sure that the system will work well in the (561) 622-2815 • www.joannegreendds.com
next storm.
Swales Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry - Cum Laude
Chances are if you’ve lived in South Florida long Hospital of the University of Penn - General Practice Residency Training
enough, you’ve heard at least one person use the word Harvard Dental School - Former Instructor
“swale.” A swale is a graded and engineered grassy area Boston Brigham and Women’s Dental Group - Staff Dentist
of land appearing as a linear, shallow, open channel, that
stretches from the edge of the sidewalk in front of homes
(or the property line if there is no sidewalk) to the edge
of the street. Swales are typically vegetated with flood
tolerant, erosion resistant plants. Swales are one of the
most commonly used stormwater practices. For many
years, swales have been used to direct runoff from rural
highways and residential streets. Today, swales not only
direct stormwater but also help filter runoff and reduce
pollutants.
A swale slows down the rapid flow of stormwater
runoff by ponding water between its sloping sides, often
called berms. The ponding not only slows the rate of
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