Ditches are constructed to give water someplace to go (drainage), especially during or immediately after times of heavy rain or melting snow. Depending on the weather, it is normal for ditches to alternately be saturated with water and dry. High levels of rain within a short time frame will cause high water levels in ditches. Over a short period of time, ranging from hours to several days, high water levels will recede naturally.

A home site drainage review, conducted by a Union SWCD staff member and the new landowner, occurs with a visit to the proposed home building site to determine proper lot drainage. Potential home sites need drainage reviews before building permits will be issued.

If the property is located in Darby, Dover, Leesburg, or York Township, expect the Union SWCD to participate in inspections of your property. Agreements, or Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), have been established between the Union SWCD and these townships. If you are unsure if a home site drainage review is required, consult with the zoning official for the township in which you live.

Since most drainage complaints involve private property, they are managed as a civil matter. No county or township agency, including the Union SWCD, has the authority to maintain and/or improve the flow of stormwater across private property. In most cases, the landowner must initiate the action to resolve the drainage dispute or make the drainage improvement. To resolve a drainage problem, landowners may:

• Choose to do nothing and accept the consequences (i.e. continued flooding, flood damage).
• Work voluntarily with other landowners involved in the drainage problem, and agree to pay the necessary costs and construct improvements.
• Consult with an attorney to resolve the drainage problem in a court of law.

Usually, the landowner is trying to collect damages to address a drainage problem resulting from the negligence of others. The Union SWCD may offer suggestions on how to resolve the drainage issue, but we do not have the authority to tell landowners what to do on their property.

Contact the Union County Engineers Office to determine if a property is located in a floodplain.

As time allows, the Union SWCD provides pond site evaluations and pond designs for property owners interested in constructing a pond. Certain townships require that landowners consult with Union SWCD or that a pond plan be developed before construction. Check with the zoning official of the township in which you live before beginning work on a pond. Union SWCD does offer a service to create pond designs for landowners, requiring a $500 deposit. Property owners may also hire a private engineer to design their pond.

Pond site evaluations done by and pond designs created by Union SWCD follow the Natural Resources Conservation Service guidelines.

Although the Union SWCD designs ponds, we cannot suggest businesses to construct them. It is up to the landowners to contact a business they wish to construct the pond.