Create a simple water-and-ground record
- Mark each recurring puddle, depression and settled paving area.
- Note the date, rainfall, visible water level and whether the road also flooded.
- Keep photos from safe, repeatable positions.
- Identify downspouts, surface drains and visible wall outlets without probing them.
What does a useful observation log look like?
| Field | Write down |
|---|---|
Time and conditions | When you first saw water, recent rain and visible canal level. |
Starting location | Road, driveway, yard depression, outlet or overtopping at the cap. |
Route and duration | Where water moved and what remained after conditions changed. |
Separate wall changes | New gaps, movement, escaping material or changed ground level. |
Use the same safe viewpoints on later visits. If a drain is submerged or inaccessible, record that fact instead of opening, probing or altering it.
Separate public drainage from private wall condition
The county describes road elevation and an engineered stormwater system for Twin Lakes. That public scope shows why street, driveway and yard levels belong in a waterfront discussion. It does not diagnose a private wall or promise that public works will resolve a private drainage problem.
What should the investigation resolve?
| Finding to investigate | Question for the professional |
|---|---|
Material escaping at the wall | Which opening or pathway needs repair? |
Runoff collecting behind the cap | How will water leave without creating another problem? |
Changing ground levels | Is the cause localized soil loss, settlement or something else? |
Flooding tied to the road or tide | Which public and private systems interact, and what records are needed? |
Ask the professional to identify what remains uncertain before prescribing a drain or fill treatment.
What should a proposed fix explain?
The problem it addresses
Have the proposal name the observed pattern and the investigation supporting its explanation.
The complete route
Ask where water enters and leaves, what levels control the route and whether the work affects neighboring or public drainage.
The check after completion
Agree on what can be verified at handover and what needs later observation in relevant conditions.
If the proposal changes yard levels, outlets or the cap, have those changes shown together. Keep any unresolved road or public-system issue on a separate action list.
Do not add holes or fill by guesswork
Changes to the wall or drainage discharge belong in the full proposed scope. DEP’s permitting services distinguish repairs, alterations and exemptions, and the county may attach outside-approval conditions. Obtain the design and applicable permission before changing the outlet arrangement.
DEP ERP e-Permitting · Notice To Proceed Instructional Handout (Internet Archive copy)
Give the next provider a usable brief
Combine the observation log, survey, permit history and marked photographs. Ask for a proposal that states how the cause will be addressed and how the result will be checked. See injection limits if filling a void is one option, and assessment questions if movement is also present.
Show sourcesHide sources
- Twin Lakes road and stormwater scopeSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- DEP ERP e-PermittingSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- Notice To Proceed Instructional Handout (Internet Archive copy)Source reviewed 2026-11-05