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A check dam is a small, sometimes temporary, dam constructed across a swale, drainage ditch, or waterway to counteract erosion by reducing water flow velocity. [1] Check dams themselves are not a type of new technology; rather, they are an ancient technique dating from the second century AD. [ 2 ]
A diagram of a traditional French drain. A French drain [1] (also known by other names including trench drain, blind drain, [1] rubble drain, [1] and rock drain [1]) is a trench filled with gravel or rock, or both, with or without a perforated pipe that redirects surface water and groundwater away from an area.
A swale is a shady spot, or a sunken or marshy place. [1] In US usage in particular, it is a shallow channel with gently sloping sides. Such a swale may be either natural or human-made. Artificial swales are often infiltration basins, designed to manage water runoff, filter pollutants, and increase rainwater infiltration. [2]
The purpose of these structures is to divert water into the various canals and to keep them full. When over full, they dump excess water back into either streams or other canals. Among the simplest is a low dam across a shallow stream, forcing all of the water to one side to allow it to be easily collected in a canal. This can keep a canal full ...
To function properly, a trench must be designed with a pretreatment structure such as a grass channel or swale, in order to capture sediment and avoid clogging the trench. [4] It may not be appropriate for sites where there is a possibility of groundwater contamination, or where there is soil with a high clay content that could clog the trench. [5]
Rain gardens are constructed throughout the city to manage storm water and to improve the water quality of city waterways. [19] The care and tending of rain gardens is a partnership between the NYC DEP and a group of citizen volunteers called "harbor protectors". Rain gardens are inspected and cleaned at least once a week. [20]
An interceptor drainage swale in the middle of the berm is also helpful or the back of the berm can be terraced with retaining walls. On sloping sites, runoff may cause problems. A drainage swale or gully can be built to divert water around the house, or a gravel-filled trench with a drain tile can be installed along with footing drains.
Water passing through undersized culverts will scour away the surrounding soil over time. This can cause a sudden failure during medium-sized rain events. Accidents from culvert failure can also occur if a culvert has not been adequately sized and a flood event overwhelms the culvert, or disrupts the road or railway above it.