Building With Style: Site Drainage Strategies

Builders and designers have numerous tactics for dealing with water in the ground, but not necessarily a clear strategy of which measures to use when, and why. This column takes a strategic look at water in and on the ground. Not all flooding problems are solvable, but their impact can be controlled by educating yourself and your client about what to expect and how to prepare for the inevitable. The Site as Part of a System Every site is part of a larger watershed that sooner or later will be overwhelmed by unusual weather. The issue for the builder and designer is not whether a site will flood, but how often, and what the flood will be like when