Storm Water Damage
If you enjoy fishing, conventional pavements are against your interests. Asphalt and conventional pavements absorb the sun’s rays and convert them to heat. When it rains, the temperatures of storm water run offs may be elevated 10° to 30°. That warm water can stress or kill marine life, water plants and helpful bacteria. Elevated temperatures decrease the amount of oxygen in streams and estuaries which in turn decreases development of fish eggs, young fish and plankton which are the first link in the marine food chain.
Unfiltered storm water discharged into streams and estuaries also carries fertilizers, pesticides, soils and other pollutants which can kill marine life either directly or indirectly. Indirectly, suspended particles can absorb more sunlight thus further raising water temperatures. This is also contributes to algae blooms like red tides which rob additional oxygen from streams, estuaries, lakes and salt water bodies.
What happens when oil or grease gets on conventional pavements? Every time it rains some of it is emulsified into the rain water and washed into catch basins through storm water drains and then into streams, estuaries and finally into the Gulf of Mexico or Oceans. Along the way it drops off toxic sediment. With pervious concrete it is contained by the concrete. Then the sun boils off volatiles, and the remaining carbon is absorbed by soil where plants, fungus or microbes digest it.
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As more and more land is covered by impervious serfaces, rain suddenly becomes destructive. Unconstrained storm water floods adjecent properties, roads, streams and estuaries eroding embankments, destroying plant life and causing flooding downstream, sometimes with resulting loss of life. Stream embankments are eroded and have to be repaired with cement or cement bads. Pervious concrete diverts rain water where it belongs, into the soil and the aquifer. |
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Down stream, toxic sediment is deposited and has to be regularly removed at significant cost. |
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