The management of Stormwater in Brooklyn has been a sincere effort to minimize the runoff of rainwater, melted snow, or any natural precipitation into the lawns, streets, and other sites that should not experience the sight and feel of stagnant water levels. Stormwater management takes into consideration the drainage system when designing cities and housing or business district developments. Brooklyn is no exception.
What happens to the water runoff in Brooklyn? Natural precipitation hits hard on surfaces associated with our modern way of life – sidewalks, driveways, rooftops, streets, parking lots, and more. It means the lack of a stormwater drainage system or a malfunction of an existing stormwater drainage system. A correctly working drainage system should be able to empty into natural waterways.
Stormwater runoff could be a major problem. It’s not uncommon in the news to see flooding in many parts of the world and this could mean an overused or dysfunctional stormwater drainage system in those areas in the world.
In Brooklyn, stormwater could overwhelm storm drains and cause flooding. They also accumulate sediments and pollutants which will naturally wind up in waterways because of the strong currents. Water that doesn’t soak into the soil will result in the inability of local groundwater sources to recharge.
Private property owners in Brooklyn manage stormwater runoff on their premises. They are advised not to wait for local ordinances to be enacted that will demand compliance from them. Folks should make a concerted effort to start their own mitigation plans against stormwater runoff with their own strategies that have minimal costs. If they don’t take contingency measures on their own, the damages might be more severe to their budgets.
Consider these actionable and affordable strategies and solutions:
- Break up non-permeable slabs. Replace patio slabs made of concrete with bricks, pavers, or flagstones that permit water to enter in between them. This will allow for proper drainage so that patio heaters and fire pits don’t get submerged, leading to malfunction. For the driveways, you can use turf block or design a strip of grass area running in the middle of the concrete where vehicles pass.
- Protect existing trees and add more plants. Tree roots absorb and filter runoff well. Also, canopies that trees create at the top slow down the onslaught of rainfall and distribute the natural precipitation over a larger area. The addition of more plants also helps the trees in absorbing excess water and filtering out pollutants. When the runoff soaks in and percolates through the soil, the soil will take the role of a filter, screening out some pollutants.
- Catch the runoff for productive uses. Instead of looking at the runoff as an enemy, install instead a cistern or a rain barrel to catch the stormwater runoff from your roofs. Use this collected water for irrigating your garden plants.
- Cover the soil with absorbent organic matter. The bare soil could be covered with mulch or some kind of organic ground cover to make stormwater runoff slower.
- Dig shallow trenches. Create a shallow but gravel-filled trench which can catch and make the runoff slow. You could locate these trenches alongside a patio or a driveway.
There are many other solutions for efficient Stormwater Management in Brooklyn. They include the use of permeable materials like mulch, gravel, or crushed shells for your paths, driveways, or patios or washing your vehicles on the grass (instead of the street so the water can soak into the soil). Once implemented, residents can return to their homes and sit comfortably by the fireplace to wait for the storm to blow over. No matter what strategies you will use, it is best to consult with Stormwater Management specialists before deciding on major and costly decisions.
