Saturday, October 15, 2005

Dual Purpose Ponds

Having ‘fun’ with the latest plans to widen I-25.

Speaking of ideas to improve the city.

Let’s look at one of the known changes to the proposed widening of I-25 through the center of town. Specifically let’s look at these storm-water collection ponds that will be scattered along the length of the highway.

Obviously, if you know ANYTHING about weather in this town, you know that we get the occasional deluge. These ponds are intended to help prevent flooding. However, as my former battalion commander would put it, “For a few dollars more, you can go first class.”

What I propose is that a selected number of these collection-ponds be configured for duel purpose use; they not only be collection ponds, but also recreational facilities.

One idea would be that such ponds be laid in concrete and the concrete be configured as a skateboard park. It would not take that much space. Nor that much concrete. And, when the ponds are not being used for their primary purpose, they could be used for recreational purposes by some of the agile young men who like that kind of entertainment.

Others, given space, could be made into local parks with a set of childrens’ playground equipment that would not be damaged by the occasional flooding.

Everyone knows that the occasional deluge and resulting flooding would last only a few hours. The rest of the time, unless these facilities are established for dual-purposes, they’ll be so much wasted space.

I think we can think farther ahead than we are currently doing…..

Next entry: CAVE? (Part 1) Previous entry: Another Evening At an Open House

1. Before an area is developed, rainwater can readily soak into soils, be absorbed by trees and other plants, evaporate into the air, or travel over land to receiving streams, lakes, rivers or wetlands. When an area is developed with driveways, buildings and roads, the rain can no longer easily soak into the soil and travels over these impervious surfaces as runoff, reaching a waterway much more quickly. testking 70-271
   This runoff also collects various pollutants (dirt, phosphorous, nitrogen) and debris (grass-clippings, paper, cigarette butts) as it flows over these surfaces, resulting in polluted water. Stormwater facilities (ponds) are built to temporary hold this water, often providing treatment to remove the pollutants, then slowly release it back to the waterway, mimicking the natural runoff rate and quality before development occurred. Without stormwater ponds, a large amount of water would enter a stream all at once, causing flooding and stream bank erosion. To improve water quality and protect our natural waterways, regulations require the implementation of suitable Stormwater Management Practices within an urban setting. Stormwater management practices are typically implemented in a variety of ways depending on a number of local factors. testking 70-431
   These practices are typically characterized as:

     * Lot-level or Source controls;
     * Conveyance controls; and
     * End-of-pipe stormwater facilities.

   testking 70-270  on  08/12  at  05:44 AM

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