INTRODUCTION:
Have you ever experienced water in your swale and wondered why it is there and how long before it is supposed to disappear? ....... Please read on.
This document will explain how most of Lee County's drainage systems function and when you as a customer should call the Operations Division for action.

"WHEN IS DRAINAGE A PROBLEM?"  will try to answer your questions concerning drainage in your area, and define the basic core levels of drainage service .

HOW DRAINAGE WORKS:
For the most part, the drainage systems of Lee County function by way of a series of swales. Swales are shallow ditches which are usually found between the road and your front yard. These swales convey water (mostly rainfall) to canals, rivers, ponds and lakes by gravity flow. You may notice that there are practically no hills in Lee County. Therefore, there is not a lot of slope for the swales to convey the water quickly to the canals, rivers, pond and lakes. Because swales convey water by gravity flow, it is a common sight to see swales throughout Lee County at different depths. This explains in part why some driveways have pipes under them and some do not.

Having a swale provides a place for the water to go, rather than flooding private property. Swales also keep most of the water off the road which provides a longer life for the road.

It is not unusual for the swale to fill up with water during a rainfall. During a heavy rainfall, the water can fill up beyond the swale.

However, the question to be addressed is: after the rainfall has ended, how much time should it take for a majority of the water to drain from the swale?

Measure the amount of water in your swale just after the rainfall has ended. Then measure the amount of water in your swale 12-36 hours later. If there is a difference, you know that the water is running off and your swale is working properly.

Swales are designed, permitted, to meet local and state water management standards at the time of construction. Swales constructed after 1984 are designed such that all or the vast majority of the water is gone in 36 hours. This is a requirement of the South Florida Water Management District.

However, some of the water in deeper swales or swales constructed prior to 1984 may never disappear during the rainy season due to a high groundwater table. The groundwater table is a fluctuating upper surface of a saturated zone. According to the Soil Survey Manual produced by the United States Department of Agriculture, 56.8% of Lee County's seasonal high water table is 0-1 foot below the existing ground level, and 32.3% is 1-3 feet below existing ground level.

SUMMARY:
Drainage is an important issue for the people of Lee County. We all need to understand the basics of how drainage works, when a drainage problem exists and how to protect our swales.

Acknowledgment
Charlotte County Florida CENTS Committe
South Florida Water Management District
US Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service

We at the Lee County Public Works Administration hope you found this
information useful and helpful, so you can help determine

"WHEN DRAINAGE IS A PROBLEM".
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS