MBA Drainage Info
Spring 2016 Work:
More detailed plans available here.

First, a note about the trees that have orange X's on them (67 along Errett in particular). Generally, any tree growing IN the ditch will need to be removed in order to adjust the elevation of the ditch bottom. Any tree that's right next to a driveway culvert will need to be removed in order to install a new longer culvert, which is generally done at a different elevation. Some of the trees between the ditch and roadway may need to be removed so that the necessary equipment can get at the ditch. If possible, some of the digging work may be done by hand to reduce the number of trees to be removed. If it appears that necessary ditch work has compromised the root structure of an existing tree, the tree may be removed after the ditch work has been done.

The basic scope of work for 2016 includes:
  • a) Errett south: lowering the ditch east of #4 (replaced in 201?) up to just west of the culvert at #12, and replacing culverts at #8 and 10 (#6 is at an appropriate elevation).
  • b) Errett north: lower the ditch east of #11 (replaced in 2014), and replacing both driveway pipes at #13 with a continuous section including a surface drain.
  • c) Bridge south: lower the ditch east of #22 (replaced in 2015), replace the 2 oldest culverts #24 and lowering the newest one; lower the ditch east of #24 (moving it slightly closer to the street in an attempt to avoid roots of large trees in front of #26), remove a tree adjacent the ditch at #28, install new lower culverts at #26 and #28, and lower most of the ditch towards the driveway at #30.
  • d) Addy south: starting east of #10 (replaced in 2015), replace culverts with new ones at lower elevations, and adjust the connecting ditch as necessary.
  • e) Short north: dig path connecting 2 parallel ditches @ #7; fill in the one furthest from the road, remove large tree stumps on MBA property in front of #7 and at least one tree between #7 and 9 driveways, lower the culvert at #7 and the connecting ditch, try to find evidence of any culvert at #9.
  • Background Information:
    MBA policy is to replace up to 2 driveway culverts per property, and to install 30' of pipe to replace what is usually 21' of pipe. In most cases, we center the new 30' of pipe where the old length used to be. In some cases, we put the pipe off-center to the side where the owner has their trash can enclosure.

    Recognizing that we do NOT want to take all the water along each street and dump it in front of properties at the west end, we convert the open ditch to buried pipe in front of at least the first property along each street. Generally, most of this pipe is essentially level, but the last section of pipe is designed with a slope. This maximizes the amount of water than can be stored in the pipe, and reduces the amount that can flow back into the community from west of us.

    Click here to read the August 2004 Report setting forth the Board's concept to address drainage concernts in the community
    Spring 2015 Work:
    Aztech Construction was hired to redo some earlier work in front of #1 and 3 Addy, including lowering a sewer line and lowering the culvert. The also replaced culverts at # 6 and 10, and lowered the connecting ditch; and replaced culverts at #20 and 22 Bridge (including lowering the connecting ditch). (Work was also done on Bayberry Rd-webmaster needs to check his notes...)
    Spring 2014 Work:
    MBA's CFC hired landscaper Tommy Milligan to replace a collapsed pipe at #129 Evergreen, and hired the landscaper working at #11 to replace culverts at #9 and 11, lower the ditch as necessary.
    Spring 2012 Work:
    MBA's CFC hired Scott and Sons landscapers to do drainage work in the community in May 2012. They had 2 main tasks: connect the ditches on the 2 sides of Addy at the west end of Addy Road, also burying new culvert past #4s driveway at a new lower elevation. They also adding fill to the raise the south ditch along Bayberry Road.
    Winter 2012 Work:
    MBA's CFC oversaw drainage work by Bramble Construction in mid January 2012. Information on that work is available by clicking on Drainage on the drop-down menus above, then selecting the appropriate street.
    Blocked culvert along Kent Ave, as photographed on Monday, November 16, 2009. Note that the water on the far side of the driveway is about 2' higher than the near side. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 12-month span between February 2009 and March 2010 saw the second most rainfall in the area's history dating back to 1950.

    Water from the drainage ditches along Short, Bayberry and Errett Roads must pass thru this culvert to get to the Assawoman Canal.

    DelDOT cleared this culvert on Wednesday, Nov 18, after which water levels at the west end of MB dropped significantly.
    This shows water bubbling to the surface in the pit just west of the fence at the end of Bridge Rd. Unfortunately, the downstream pipe (off to the left of the photo) has an uphill slope of about 5" from this point... The number of communications cables sitting on top of this culvert make alterations prohibitively expensive.
  • August 2005 Photos of the first portion of the reworked drainage system-the Addy Road cleanout
  • May 2003 Property Owners Meeting-Report
  • March 2003 Update
  • Joe Wolf's August 2002 Proposal
  • August 2002 Comm/DelDOT meeting
  • February 2001 Committee Report
  • May 1991 Memo to Property Owners re Drainage

  • Maps/Pictures:
  • 1928 USGS Map
  • 1954 USGS Map
  • 1973 Overhead Photo

  • "Original" Driveway Culvert Info:
  • Short Road
  • Bayberry Road
  • Errett Road
  • Bridge Road
  • Addy Road
  • Evergreen Road

  • Other Elevation Info:
  • Pine Side Roadway elevations
  • Diagram of Original Ditch System
  • Winter 2005/06 update:
    While it's not working PERFECTLY, the Addy Road Demonstration Project appears to be quite successful. As a recap: all culverts under driveways on the north side of the road were replaced with new ones which are ALL located above the point at which water leaves the community. The elevation of the ditch was raised to match the culverts using fill excavated as part of the process of paving beachside Short Road. Additionally, the last 200' or so of ditch were completely buried, with catch basins installed 2 catch basins were installed, and were designed to keep water west of us from backing up into the community. Although the ditch bottom was raised, it is still quite wide. This has the undesirable effect that water moves quite slowly, so leaves and needles do not get swept downstream. We are considering what we can do that might be cost effective to solve this problem, and will keep this issue in mind as we move on to other portions of the community. It is likely that the next portion to be attacked will be the west end of Bridge Road. Bridge Road is unique in that it has a culvert under the pavement that connects the 2 ditches together, so it makes sense to start at the west and and work eastward on both sides of the street as the budget permits. In an ideal situation, this could get done early in the fiscal year (perhaps April or May 2006), but fall 2006 is more likely.

    2003 update: In 2003, work on solving Middlesex Beach's seemingly perpetual Pineside drainage problem increased dramatically. Several factors have led to the Board making this decision. One is that the Road Paving Plan initiated by President Joe Woolman in the mid 1990's is nearing completion (with only the beach side stub of Short Rd remaining). In addition, the Board has changed the budgeting process to better separate Capital Improvement spending from Operating Expenses (and Beach Replenishment). These actions make it easier to identify funds for other Capital Improvement projects throughout the community

    Historical Background: A 1992 survey by the Delaware Department of Soil Conservation, and a 2000 survey done by Artesian Water, provide the data we are currently using. Since the main survey was done over 10 years old, several driveway culverts have been relocated by property owners, several have been added, several have become quite clogged with debris, and some have been crushed. The Board wishes to undertake a demonstration project this coming (2003-04) offseason, and has asked the Public Works Committee for its recommendation.
    It is clear that the data at hand is most reliable for the ditch along the north side of Addy Rd; this also contains the water that leaves Middlesex Beach at the lowest elevation. This ditch contains almost no culverts which have extensive landscaping near the ends, making it relatively easy to adjust the height and pitch of these culverts.
    Most other roads have had far more culverts altered since 1992. In addition, many of the property owners along most other roads have done extensive landscaping of the ends of the culverts, (stone or wood walls; plantings other than natural vegetation) making it more difficult and expensive for these culverts to be adjusted.
    External Drainage Data:
  • Jefferson Creek Tide Data
  • Little Assawoman Tide Data
  • Tide Gauge Info
  • Lewes Storm Surge Info
  • OC Inlet Storm Surge Info
  • US Storm Surge Info
  • Millsboro Pond Flow Data
  • Tax Ditches in Delaware

  • Miscellaneous Links:
  • NDSpro.com
  • NDSpro.com Drainage Catalog
  • Hancor Drainage products

  • Illinois Drainage Law
  • Drainage System Maintenance
  • Community Initiative Clears Drainage System
  • Interesting Legal Document
  • Backhoe Excavation of Drainage Ditches using Hub Stakes
  • St.Andrews, Mantioba Drainage to do list
  • Mont Co, OH Drainage Ditch FAQ
  • Army Corps Permits
  • A nice description of Storm Water probs somewhere in Michigan
  • Do Drainage Ditches behave like Streams?

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