Erosion TTool/Implementation of a Common Retention Basin

Technical articles - Erosion TTool - Érosion des sols

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Illustration of the practice of implementing a retention basin within the serious game Erosion TTOOL. Credit: Delphine Hombrouckx

The retention basin allows to limit, channel, and store stormwater runoff. It notably helps to prevent flooding by acting as a storm overflow and limits the saturation of the sanitation network. The water flow is slowed down, which promotes the settling of sediments and debris before they reach the drainage structure.

Description

Advantages

• Limits runoff of concentrated waters.
• Channels and stores stormwater.
• Stored water can be reused (notably in fire-fighting).
• Improves water quality.

Disadvantages

• Its location can alter the landscape and have harmful effects:
  • If placed too far upstream of a watercourse, it can reduce water availability for downstream users.
  • If placed too far downstream, it will not reduce erosion.

• Administrative file and construction are long and costly.

Application

Requires administrative project setup and negotiation with farmers.

An example at the level of the community of communes of Canton de Fruges (Pas-de-Calais): https://www.symcea.fr/docs/p2_memoire_explicatif.pdf