Hardscape - Drainage Concerns

Drainage Concerns

The water table in and around large areas of hardscape is usually very depleted because the amount of rainwater absorbed into the soil is insufficient to recharge the water table in that (usually urban) area. Such areas must then rely largely on "imported" freshwater from local or non-local lakes, reservoirs, dams, rivers, and streams. On the other hand, most homes in rural areas often use wells and springs as their primary source of freshwater because the local water table is being constantly recharged by the hydrologic cycle.

Without nearby bare soil, a hardscape requires artificial methods of drainage or surface runoff in order to carry off the sometimes massive volumes of water that would normally be mostly absorbed into the ground as groundwater. Lack of capacity can cause major problems after severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, or typhoons.