How Do You Design A Retention Basin?
In areas where excess water runoff is a problem, cutting through soil to cause erosion and flooding, retention basins are a first line of defense. Constructed geographically higher than the area of problem, retention basins gather water and disperse it through a controlled release system. Most retention basins are very large; but you can design one on a smaller scale. Read on to learn more. Identify the main problem or goal. Sometimes it’s obvious; homes are flooded, farm crops wiped out or bridges washed away. Other times it’s more subtle such as when runoff creates deep ravines and transports water away quickly, leaving little for livestock or irrigation. Most basins are designed to utilize the geographic lay of the land. Contact your state water authority before you begin your design. In some places you can plan a retention basin on a small scale without being required to get a permit, but in states where water quantity is an issue, it’s often illegal to divert the natural flow with
