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<br /> <br />Gem Lake News Page 3 of 6 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Culvert: Not Glamorous, but Necessary…………………. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Given the wet springs the area has experienced <br />over the past few years, making sure the culverts <br />still serve as they were intended is an important <br />part of Gem Lake’s stormwater management <br />program. <br /> <br />In all, SEH inspected 81 culverts throughout the <br />city. While most culverts are in good structural <br />condition, many are collecting sediment, which <br />gradually reduces the effectiveness. Older <br />culverts, especially those constructed of plastic, <br />are susceptible to weather and have a greater <br />chance of structural issues. <br /> <br />Many culverts are located at the end of private <br />driveways. Maintenance on these culverts is the <br />responsibility of the homeowner. Depending on <br />the width of the driveway, this can be a challenge, <br />but it’s important to keep the culvert clear of dirt <br />and debris so water continues to flow through. <br />Those culverts under public roadways are <br />maintained by the owners of the road. <br /> <br />Culverts are not glamorous, and are generally not <br />part of everyday conversations, but they do serve <br />an important purpose related to stormwater <br />management. Keeping them clear of debris keeps <br />the water flowing. After heavy rain events culverts <br />suddenly become more prominent, especially if <br />runoff water is ponding in someone’s yard. If your <br />driveway includes a culvert, it is your responsibility <br />to keep it clean. Doing so will assure storm water <br />flows to its intended designation. Minnesota’s <br />Department of Natural Resources has information <br />relating to culverts on its webpage at <br />www.dnr.state.mn.us. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />By Jim Lindner, City Council Member <br />Did you know that culverts play a silent but <br />important part of water management? Particularly <br />when it comes to storm water runoff and flood <br />control, culverts allow for water to flow towards <br />wetlands and water bodies and prevent water from <br />accumulating where it could lead to flooding and <br />property damage. <br /> <br />Culverts often run under roads and we drive over <br />them without even knowing it. Sometimes culverts <br />are placed at the end of driveways to provide a <br />path for water that collects in roadside ditches. <br />Culverts can be as small as a few inches in <br />diameter or as large as several feet across. <br />Likewise, culverts may only be as long as a <br />driveway is wide, or they can be over a mile or <br />more. Whatever is needed to keep the stormwater <br />running away from properties, a culvert can help <br />provide a solution. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Gem Lake has a variety of culverts, some run <br />under roads and connect wetlands on opposite <br />sides of the street, while other culverts are at the <br />end of driveways. Recently, Gem Lake contacted <br />with its city engineering firm, Short Elliot <br />Hendrickson, Inc. (SEH) to assess the conditions of <br />culverts within the city. <br /> <br />Periodic inspections are necessary as culverts are <br />prone to sediment buildup or structural issues from <br />the weight of vehicles passing overhead. Culverts <br />are typically constructed from ribbed metal, which <br />can corrode over time and potentially collapse from <br />metal fatigue. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />