Save Our Swales

The City of Fort Lauderdale is sending out an SOS. Our call for help is simple: Save Our Swales. Swales are generally defined as the strip of land in front of your homes and adjacent to the street. Although you may never have stopped to think about it before, swales are important to the protection of our environment and the appearance of our neighborhoods.

Defining Their Purpose

Natural swales provide a drainage area for stormwater that falls on our roads and driveways. They allow the water to filter and percolate into the soil.

They's why swales should be kept grassy or covered with loose gravel. Keeping swales in their natural state also adds to the beauty of our neighborhoods.

Identifying Problems With Runoff

That contaminated runoff eventually winds up in our canals, rivers, and lakes. Stormwater runoff is a primary source of water pollution. In fact, federal and State legislation has been enacted requiring cities throughout the country to develop comprehensive stormwater management programs. Properly maintaining our swales will help us to satisfy these requirements and help protech Fort Lauderdale's 165 miles of waterways.

Working Together Toward Solutions

The City realizes that you may need to make certain changes to your swale. We'd like you to follow some guidelines that will protect our environment and your neighborhood.

Paving. If you need to pave your swale for driveway access, pave only the section you need and leave the rest of the swale in its natural state. Remember, paving over a swale requires a City permit, since pavement is considered to be a permanent structure.

Plantings. Landscaping your front swale may be pleasing to the eye, but it does disrupt the natural drainage features of your neighborhood. Installing your plantings behind your property line, away from the road, adds beauty to your home and leaves the swale intact.

Parking. Avoid continual parking of vehicles on your swale to allow healthy grass to develop and keep the soil loose so water can percolate into the ground.

Driveways. Make sure your driveway's design allows water to drain toward your swale.

Debris. Keep your swale free of leaves, limbs, and other vegatation. Properly dispose of debris and oil rather than placing them in your swale.

Remember. . . The way you treat your swale may be repeated in your neighborhood by neighbors following your lead. If changes are done improperly, or if maintenance is neglected, problems are further compounded.

Finding More Details

The City is here to answer your questions and can work with you and your neighborhood association. Please call us at 954-828-8000.