Stormwater Management Engineering
Stormwater refers to surface water that accumulates on the ground surface due to rain or melting snow and ice. On undeveloped or sparsely developed land, the majority of the stormwater that accumulates soaks into the ground surface, leaving only a small volume of stormwater that drains along the ground surface and off of the property; this is known as stormwater runoff.
When a property is developed, impervious surfaces are created, such as structures and pavements, which prevent the stormwater from percolating into the ground. As a result, a greater volume of stormwater runoff is generated, which leads to flooding and erosion of the ground surface and receiving channels, such as streams and other bodies of water. Therefore, steps must be taken to reduce or mitigate the increase in stormwater runoff, to avoid the potentially harmful and unsafe conditions created by flooding and erosion.
![Flooded Waterway](/files/flooding-5.jpg)
Depending on the extent of the proposed project, this may involve the design and construction of one or more stormwater management facilities. Stormwater management facilities are designed to collect and manage stormwater runoff resulting from land development projects, in an effort to reduce the rate and volume of stormwater runoff and maintain or improve water quality.
Alta has extensive experience in stormwater management design, including, but not limited to, water quality treatment, groundwater infiltration, stormwater volume control, and peak rate control. Some of the more common stormwater management facilities that we design include subsurface infiltration and retention beds or trenches; rain gardens; surface detention ponds; dry extended detention basins; rain tanks and rain barrels; and the design, placement, and routing of stormwater collection and conveyance devices such as catch basins and underground drain pipes. We also design temporary stormwater collection facilities to be utilized during-construction, as required.
Example Stormwater Management Facilities:
![Surface Detention Basin](/files/surface_detention_basin-3.jpg)
Surface Detention Basin
![Vegetated Dry Extended Surface Detention Basin](/files/20190731_1615-01_dry_basin-2.png)
Dry Extended Surface Detention Basin
![Rain Garden](/files/rain_garden_2-3.jpg)
Rain Garden
![Subsurface Infiltration Bed (Under Construction)](/files/hartwell_2017_phila_1618-02_20171107_111101-3.jpg)
Subsurface Infiltration Bed
![Detention Pond with Concrete Weir Spillway](/files/20210115_0481-02_weir.png)
Detention Pond with Concrete Weir Spillway
![Drainage Outlet & Energy Dissipator](/files/20220714_1911-01_riprap_energy_dissipator-3.jpg)
Drainage Outlet & Energy Dissipator
The list of Stormwater Management facilities on this page is not all-inclusive. If you have a project or engineering need that you do not see in our list, do not hesitate to CONTACT US.