CAN HIGHWAY FILLS, CULVERTS AND BRIDGES BE MORE EFFECTIVELY USED AS WATER RETENTION STRUCTURES?
GROUND-WATER IS REPLENISHED ONLY THROUGH RETENTION AND ABSORPTION OF RAINFALL. ALL FEASIBLE PRACTICES THAT CATCH AND RETAIN RAINFALL WILL INCREASE ABSORPTION AND IMPROVE GROUND-WATER SUPPLIES. RAINFALL THAT ESCAPES AS SURFACE RUNOFF ADDS NOTHING TO THE USEFUL WATER SUPPLY AND USUALLY CREATES SERIOUS EROSION, COSTLY FLOOD DAMAGE, AND UNNECESSARY SILTATION OF RIVERS AND HARBORS. CONSERVATION FARMING METHODS, FARM PONDS, AND ALL OTHER PRACTICES THAT CATCH AND HOLD RAINFALL NEAR THE POINT WHERE IT FALLS, GREATLY REDUCE THE DAMAGES RESULTING FROM EXCESSIVE RUNOFF AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE PERMANENT UNDERGROUND WATER SUPPLY. MANY HIGHWAY FILLS COULD BE CONSTRCTED AS, OR CONVERTED INTO, IMPOUNDING STRUCTURES WITHOUT AFFECTING THEIR USEFULNESS FOR HIGHWAY PURPOSES. MANY HIGHWAY CULVERTS ON SMALL DRAINAGEWAYS COULD BE CONVERTED INTO DROP- INLET STRUCTURES AND PROVIDE A LARGE NUMBER OF SMALL WATER-STORAGE RESERVOIRS. ON MANY SMALL STREAMS, A COMBINATION OF EARTH FILL AND CONCRETE SPILLWAY MIGHT OFTEN TAKE THE PLACE OF CONVENTIONAL BRIDGE OR CULVERT DESIGN. LARGE IMPOUNDING AREAS MIGHT BE PURCHASED, OR CONTROL OTHERWISE ACQUIRED, BY THE STATE, AND PUBLIC FISHING AREAS PROVIDED IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THESE FACILITIES ARE NOT ADEQUATE. INCOME TO THE STATE FROM FISHING RIGHTS AND LICENSES WOULD BE INCREASED, AND NEEDED RECREATIONAL AREAS PROVIDED. ALL OF THE ABOVE BENEFITS ARE IN ADDITION TO THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THESE PONDS--THAT OF IMPROVING WATER RESOURCES AND INCREASING MUCH NEEDED GROUNDWATER RESERVES. /AUTHOR/
- Record URL:
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Supplemental Notes:
- No 222, P 82. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
- Publication Date: 1952
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
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Serial:
- Highway Research Board Roadside Development Committee Reports
- Publisher: Highway Research Board
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Culverts; Fills; Water; Water resources
- Old TRIS Terms: Basins
- Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Environment; Highways;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00205058
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS, TRB
- Created Date: Nov 15 1971 12:00AM