There are a few things you’ll need to account for when you’re building a flood control system in California. First up, be sure to check with any agencies governing water within the area, including local, state and federal agencies. At least some will likely have rules for you to require, and you may need a permit. You’ll also need to choose good pond liners. Products from BTL Liners are ideal for these purposes, built strong enough to last you a long time, even with UV and chemical exposure.
Another important consideration is the setting. In rural areas, ponds built to collect stormwater are often clean enough that they can be used for fishing or other types of recreation—and that means you won’t need to worry about treatment or processing prior to using the water for irrigation. This can change if the ponds are located in heavily farmed rural areas. Here, they might contain heavy fertilizer, herbicide, or pesticide residues, or heavy concentrations of animal waste. The water may need to be treated prior to use on crops. In urban settings, you will almost definitely need to treat the water. Think of all the chemicals that build up on roadways as thousands of cars traverse them each day. A lot of this material will end up in runoff water, which can end up being quite toxic. Not only will you need to treat urban runoff prior to using it for irrigation, but you’ll also need to carefully protect the ponds with barriers and signage so that humans and animals can’t access the water to swim in it or drink from it.
