Well…believe it or not, according to Hurricane Week on the Weather Channel, we now find ourselves in the middle of what’s shaping up to be a busy storm season here in Hampton Roads. While I’ve seen a lot of information available on how to best prepare for a large-scale storm event, I haven’t noted many suggestions on how to prepare your yard to minimize damage and reduce potential environmental impacts.
A good friend once told me that the best way to childproof my house was to get down on the floor and crawl around like a baby. I realized after I stopped laughing, what he was trying to tell me: I would be better able to identify and remove any potential hazards my son might encounter if I physically interacted with his environment. The same approach should be used when storm-proofing your yard. Here are a few practical tips from a municipal stormwater administrator which, if done in advance of a storm event, might help reduce personal property damage and/or environmental impacts.
• Prevent Oil Leaks – Inspect your entire yard for signs of abandoned underground heating oil tanks (i.e. cut-off fill ports/vent pipes). Ensure they have been properly closed (pumped and plugged) in order to prevent spills during a flood.
• Clear Vegetation – Clear away vegetation, yard debris and dead trees from any water source on or near your property (i.e. ditch, swale, channel, etc.). Anything you can do to facilitate the flow of stormwater reduces the burden on other local resources.
• Secure Landscaping – Prevent localized flooding by identifying, stabilizing and securing any aspects of your landscaping that may float away in heavy run-off. This debris will clog drains and reduce the flow of stormwater.
• Shelter Your Waste Containers – If possible, secure your trash/recycling containers indoors (i.e. garage, shed, etc.) to prevent an accidental discharge of trash and floatables into the stormwater system. If you are unable to secure the containers inside, attempt to weight the bott¬¬om of the receptacle and secure the top with a bungee or duct tape.
• Protect Your Belongings – Remove anything from outside your dwelling that has the potential to “fly” during strong, sustained winds. These items could cause direct property damage or clog storm drains and channels leading to flooding of the stormwater system.
In the end, you may not be able to prevent all possible damage from occurring; especially if a “big-one” hits. (For those who remember Isabel, if it happens again, I am outta here!!!). But, isn’t it better to try then to say that you didn’t try at all? I, for one, am pleased to say that my son has recently celebrated his 9th birthday without being electrocuted, burned, or poisoned. To that end, maybe there is something to be said about my friend’s suggestion.
This is a guest blog post from David Kuzma, MS4 Permit Administrator with Newport News Department of Engineering.