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Integrating Best Stormwater Management Plan in Your Landscape Design

stormwater management

When designing landscapes that are both highly functional and aesthetically pleasing, stormwater management should always be front of mind. Whether your landscape will be used in a residential, commercial or civil setting, you must consider how your creation will deal with heavy rainfall. Failure to do so can convert an otherwise perfect landscape design into somewhere that delivers a poor user experience at best and presents significant dangers at worst.

The key is to integrate stormwater management into the landscape in a subtle but still effective way. Achieving this will require working with stormwater management experts that understand the fundamentals, have up-to-date plants, know the local climate and are experienced in delivering end-to-end projects. 

As a professional landscaping company in Sydney, here we are recommending some practical and aesthetically pleasing ways to integrate stormwater management into your landscape. It will also help to get you thinking about how this process can work in practice.

  1. Try to emulate natural landscape features
  2. Be aware of parking spaces
  3. Look on either side of your walkways
  4. Direct water away from structures

Let’s dive into each and evaluate the factors to consider before you plan for storm-water management in your existing landscape design.

1. Try to emulate natural landscape features

The natural environment does well at managing the effects of stormwater, and we can learn a lot by recreating natural landscape features in both residential and commercial landscape designs.

Great examples come in the form of dry creeks, also sometimes referred to as swales. These are narrow linear depressions that can capture rainfall and control the direction of its flow. The efficacy of these features can be enhanced by populating them with local native flora, ideally species that can be found in natural creeks. These plants will help reduce erosion and absorb some water themselves.

Dry creeks can be seamlessly incorporated into your landscape design and often add to its aesthetic appeal and functionality. You must talk to the appropriate authorities first to find an appropriate discharge location for your dry creek.

2. Be aware of parking spaces

Any large stretches of impervious surface, such as concrete car parks, can represent potential problems in stormwater management. These spaces interrupt the natural hydrological cycle and, without proper care, can cause issues such as urban flooding. 

A few tips when it comes to stormwater management for car parks include:

  • Installing curb cuts: curb cuts help the water escape into the surrounding landscape and prevent it from building up on the car park surface. Separate wheel stops, as opposed to one continuous wheel stop, are another way of achieving this.
  • Considering erosion control: cobbles can be highly effective in preventing erosion from heavy rains. Cobbles must be installed at locations of concentrated flow, meaning such areas should be identified from the start of the project.

3. Look on either side of your walkways

While your focus may be on creating walkways that allow people to move quickly and logically through your landscape, the verges of these walkways are often most important when managing stormwater runoff. This is because, similar to car parks, walkways can be problematic when collecting and retaining stormwater.

Paved areas should be installed directly adjacent to, and slightly elevated from, landscaped zones. By providing a slight grade to the walkway, water can then easily run off into the more porous surrounding substrates. As with car parks, cobbles and climate-adapted plants around the walkway can help reduce erosion from runoff and increase water absorption.

4. Direct water away from structures

Roof runoff is a significant consideration in stormwater management, but fortunately, there are several options to deal with it. 

Firstly, try using gravel as the substrate below gutterless roofs. Gravel is better at allowing water to drain than many other substrates and will avoid puddle build-ups. 

Rain chains are stylish and functional when reducing the water flow rate from roofs and can be easily integrated into your landscape, especially if you include other ornamental features.

Splash blocks are another tried and tested technique that can be placed underneath the end of a downspout and used to direct water flow away from structures.

The above is by no means an exhaustive list of the ways you can integrate stormwater management into your landscape designs, and the best options for you will depend on the unique requirements of your project. If you’re looking for a landscaping company in Sydney with a track record of delivering effective and tailored solutions, get in touch with Civil and Scape today. 

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Why Do You Need a Stormwater Management Company?

stormwater management company

Stormwater management is an integral part of maintaining a healthy and natural hydrologic cycle and a clean and pollution-free urban area. Apartment complexes, commercial buildings and residential dwellings are all in need of stormwater management. However, if your business or residence is in Sydney, determining whether or not you are in need of a stormwater management company is dependent upon the ownership of your property. In this article, we’ll discuss how to determine if you need a stormwater management company and break down the importance of stormwater management. First, let’s dive into why stormwater management even exists and why we need it.

In order to prevent erosions, contamination and host of other issues, stormwater which is surface water runoff from rainfall, needs to be properly managed and maintained. This is especially true in urban areas. Undeveloped areas have large spans of vegetation with impervious surfaces, allowing for rainfall to be transpired and evaporated. However, when nature is replaced with roads, buildings and artificial surfaces, surface rainfall can become problematic.

Here are some of the issues that can arise if stormwater is not properly managed.

  • Soil erosion – In agricultural land, stormwater can erode the rich and valuable top layer of soil that farmers depend on for planting crops. This, in turn, produces an agricultural issue which can result in lowered supplies and increased cost of production.
  • Stream erosion – Excess stormwater can cause streams to break their banks and flood nearby farms and communities. A second issue that can arise is the excess water can cause streams to change their shape, disrupting the natural habitat of plants and animals and thus, causing an issue with diversity later on.
  • Urban flooding – Urban areas have developed over natural vegetation surfaces. These surfaces are permeable and allow for natural drainage and absorption of stormwater. However, pavements, buildings and roads have covered these up, creating the need for stormwater management. Without it, the water would have nowhere to go and would cause urban flooding.
  • Poor water quality – Stormwater can absorb pesticides, grease, chemicals and other non-natural pollutants that can then be carried and drained into nearby streams. This polluted water then causes the poisoning and death of the animals and vegetation that use the stream as their natural habitat.
  • Disturb the natural hydrologic cycle – The health of streams is key to maintaining a natural hydrologic cycle. Improper or the absence of stormwater management disrupts this because it reduces soil replenishment and groundwater recharge. The soil in streams is essential for sustaining vegetation and aquatic life.

Do I need stormwater management in Sydney?

The answer to this question is dependent on the location of your drain. If the drain is located on your residential or commercial property, then it is your responsibility. If it is located outside of your property, then it is the responsibility of the Sydney local councils.

Stormwater management on your property requires that you:

  • Install and maintain stormwater piping, pits and culverts
  • Manage all stormwater runoffs coming from your property, including possible pollutants

So, what do you look for in a stormwater management company?

Companies should have these basic requirements in order for you to consider them as your stormwater management company: 

  • Basic understanding of stormwater management, particularly in Sydney
  • Certification
  • Proper equipment

Are you in search of a stormwater management company for your commercial or residential property? At Civil and Scape, our team goes beyond the requirements of a stormwater management company. We will ensure that you get the best possible service and guidance.

If you’re in search of a stormwater management company then you’ll be glad to know that we also provide management of stormwater and the installation of pipes, pits and culverts.

Civil and Scape does not only have expert knowledge of stormwater management in Sydney but they are also certified and hold the proper equipment to ensure that your property does not endure any effects from improper stormwater management.

If you’d also like landscaping and concrete work for any commercial or civil project, then our team of experts can guide you through the steps of making your dream come alive.

Work with our team today for a seamless experience and perfect execution. If you’re interested in seeing some of our work, browse through our gallery to view our past projects.

Want to have a chat? Give us a call on 1300 457 457 or shoot us a message here.