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By Carol Cotter, City Engineer
We’ve all seen it during a heavy Texas downpour. You look outside, and the street looks more like a shallow river than a road. It can be frustrating when your travels are delayed, and it’s normal to wonder why the drainage system isn’t keeping up.
But the truth is, the system is working just as it was designed.
When water collects on the street during an intense storm, it doesn’t mean the system is broken. In most cases, that’s how it’s supposed to work. In College Station, our stormwater system is designed to safely manage rainfall, keeping people safe while also being careful with the budget.
Underground Storm Drains
Our underground pipes, inlets, and culverts are built to handle the routine rains we get most of the year. They do the bulk of the work during normal wet weather to keep roads clear.
When a strong storm comes, water can enter the system faster than the pipes are designed to carry it. The storm drains still work, but they need time to move the larger amount of water through the system. It’s like pouring a whole bucket of water into a sink at once. The water may rise, but the drain still works; it just needs time to catch up.
The Streets Themselves
To build an underground system big enough to handle every huge storm immediately, we’d need giant pipes, bigger detention areas, and extensive utility work. This would cost millions per road, and most of the time, that extra capacity wouldn’t be needed.
Instead, our streets are designed to temporarily hold and move extra water above ground. During heavy rain, they direct water safely to creeks, drainage channels, or detention ponds until the underground system catches up.
Using streets as part of the stormwater system helps protect homes and businesses from flooding and uses your tax dollars wisely.
Behind the Scenes: Managing stormwater requires ongoing work. Public Works crews regularly inspect and clean storm drains, culverts, and drainage channels year-round to ensure everything works during heavy rain.
How You Can Help
City crews handle the main system, but your help is important to keep neighborhoods safe and dry. Here’s what you can do:
- Keep it Clean: Sweep leaves, grass clippings, and yard debris away from streets and storm drains. If debris stays in the road, it can block drains quickly and cause avoidable flooding.
- Be Our Eyes and Ears: If you see blocked drains, damaged drainage, or persistent flooding, let the City know (979-764-3690). Your reports help us fix problems faster.
- Turn Around, Don’t Drown: Never drive through flooded roads. Just a few inches of moving water can make you lose control of your car or damage the engine.
- Respect the Signs: Always follow road closures and barricades during storms. They are there to keep you safe.
The next time you see water collecting on your street during heavy rain, there’s no need to worry. You’re seeing an essential part of the stormwater system at work.
About the Blogger
Carol Cotter has served as city engineer since 2017, bringing more than two decades of municipal experience to the role. Since joining the City in 2002, she has worked as a development review engineer and spent nine years as assistant city engineer. Prior to her public service, Carol spent eight years in private practice at a civil engineering firm. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry (1985) and a master’s degree in chemical engineering (1996), both from Texas A&M.
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