October 2025 – Let’s Talk About Stormwater Management – Again

Wow, that was a lot of rain over the past week. And, it’s been a few years since I wrote about Stormwater Management (2017), so, I thought it was time to discuss it again.

Let’s start simple – why communities even need to have stormwater systems and infrastructure. Stormwater systems exist for two very important reasons. The first is to collect, store, and treat stormwater before it makes its way to whatever water body it flows to. For us, that is the St. Johns River. For much of Brevard County, that is the Indian River Lagoon. I will save this first reason for another time and focus on the second reason stormwater systems are important.

The second reason, and what we are going to talk about today, is the control and conveyance of stormwater to the St. John’s River and away from homesites. Every single water body in Viera is manmade and they are all components of our Stormwater Management system. They are also all permitted (as in they have a permit issued) by the St. Johns River Water Management District for that function. Understanding there is most definitely an aesthetic value to these ponds, the real reason they exist is to convey stormwater.

The other tidbit of information that you need to know is that our stormwater ponds are connected by phase of development. All the stormwater retention ponds in each phase are connected to each other and also connect to a canal that ultimately conveys the water to the river. If you have seen a neighborhood being built, you have probably seen these huge stormwater pipes sitting onsite and waiting to be installed.

We also have an extensive canal system that serves Viera. These canals are both within Viera, right under your nose, and go all the way out to the river. Most notably are the 8-Mile Canal, 6-Mile Canal, 4-Mile Canal, and 2-Mile Canal. Notice the trend? 😊. We also have the 3-Mile Canal, 5-Mile Canal, 7-Mile Canal, Horseshoe Canal, Silo Canal, and Diagonal Canal. All stormwater ponds flow into these canals and make their way to the St. Johns River.

If you have attended my orientation class you have heard this, but a little-known fact about how Viera is engineered is based on how it is elevated relative to rainfall. Our common areas (roads, parks, open spaces, stormwater tracts) are built to an elevation to withstand a 25-year rain event, which is 9 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. Viera homesites are built to an elevation to withstand a 100-year rain event, which is 11 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. So, our common areas (roads, parks, ponds, etc.) will start to fill first during a rain event. This is perfectly normal and expected. You WANT this to happen as it is important that “extra” water collects in these areas before it gets to your home. I know people really get really anxious when they see this happening, but, it is important to the system that it does happen. I saw a lot of people posting pictures of their ponds and streets after the big rain last week. I even saw a picture of a fish a kid caught in the street!

Although there was flooding all over Brevard County (and beyond), here in Viera we saw it bad enough to warrant the temporary closing of Stadium Parkway due to excess stormwater. And, I completely understand how alarming that can be, but that is how our stormwater system is designed to work – roads flood first, homes last. So, here in Viera, seeing stormwater on the streets is a good thing in the short term. We only have to start worrying when we get more rain than any system can hold all at once.

When the rain stops and there is still standing water, it is still OK – for a bit. Generally, after a rainstorm, you should see the water disappear within 24 hours. If it does not, there could be an obstruction somewhere and it needs to be investigated. But, for water to be present up to 24 hours after a storm is perfectly fine and normal.

Now, we haven’t seen a storm that can overcome our stormwater system in many years. But, it may happen one day. And the reason is math. (Yes, let’s blame math!! 😊). Remember those stormwater pipes I mentioned, well, their size is finite. The amount of water (volume) that they can hold and carry in a short amount of time is also finite. So, someday, we may get a storm that drops so much rain in such a short period of time that it overwhelms the system. The kind of rain we want, even if there is a lot of it, is slow and steady. It’s only when we get buckets all at once that that we need to take notice.

Now, there are precautions that we all have to take to make sure our system is in good working order. Here are some important reminders:

• Never, ever put anything down the storm drains. You would be shocked at how many dog poop bags get put down into the system. Debris can clog the stormwater pipes and greatly reduce the amount of stormwater the system can handle.
• Never, ever block the storm drains with landscaping debris. If you or your landscaper has yard debris, make sure it is not stacked anywhere near a stormwater drain or in the street blocking stormwater flow.
• If you have a rear yard drain in your yard, make sure you keep it free from debris, mulch, weeds, etc.
• Keep your swales free of landscaping and hardscapes. These are drainage easements. Every home has a 5-foot drainage easement along the side property lines. When you build a walkway, add hedges, patios, etc., you are altering the drainage for your lot. Don’t be surprised if you notice an issue when we get a lot of rain. This means you may need to add a drain or take other measures.

Each year before the storm season starts, CVCA does a comprehensive inspection of its stormwater facilities. At this year’s annual meeting, Fairway Management provided a report to the board and to those in attendance regarding their inspection and the results. There were some maintenance items identified, but overall, the system was working well.

I know this has been a long one, but, given our recent rains, I felt it was important to talk about how our system works. So, until next time, remember, “Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it.” – Lao Tzu

Eva M. Rey, President
Central Viera Community Association, Inc.