Open Drains | Technical Note No.

10
Erosion and Sediment Control Guidelines

Description •When installing concrete inverts care must be

Open drains range from hard armoured structures taken to avoid flow running along the side of the
conveying stormwater at high velocity to swales invert which will cause scouring of material
that can replace traditional street kerbs and adjacent to the constructed invert.
channels with visually attractive gullies and water •Changes in grade should be identified and grade
features that mimic the natural environment. stabilising structures such as drop structures
Some drains such as swales allow stormwater should be incorporated as required. (See
runoff to be slowed, reduced and cleaned before it Technical Note No. 5: Drop Structures).
outfalls. •Grass lined drains should be widened to
accommodate top soil installation. Forward
Application and Function planning must be undertaken to ensure uniform
Any development, especially in urban areas can grass establishment is achieved prior to the drain
result in a significant increase in the level of accepting full flows.
impermeable surfaces and subsequent increase •Catch drains divert and convey run-on from
in volumes and velocities of stormwater to be batters or construction sites. Catch drains are
conveyed by the stormwater drainage system. generally only recommended for temporary use in
the tropical regions and should be removed and
When designing stormwater drainage systems subsequently rehabilitated at the completion of
consideration should be given to maintaining the works. Design calculations should take into
natural or pre-development hydrologic regime as consideration peak flows and discharge. Should
much as possible. catch drains be necessary as a permanent
drainage solution drains should be lined and
To ensure volumes and velocities are correctly surrounds permanently stabilised, diversion banks
catered for in an open drain, design should only may be an alternative permanent solution.
be undertaken by qualified personnel. This will •Linings for open drains will vary with location, soil
ensure that the drain does not erode and is not type and expected volumes and velocities. Linings
detrimental to the surrounding environment. can consist of dryland grass, cellular confinement
systems, turf reinforcement, geotextile and hard
Limitations armour such as stone/rock pitching, rock, rock
Correctly constructed open drains with maximum mattresses and concrete.
1(V):4(H) batters require a greater cross section
and therefore a slightly larger area of land is Examples of linings and application:
required.
Type of Application: Velocity
Alternatives lining: range:
Piped drainage systems. Grass Alternative to hard Low to
linings medium
Advantages Reinforced Alternative to Medium to
Open drains have the advantage of providing Grass hard/armoured linings high
filtering of nutrients and the incorporation of Geotextile Areas requiring quick Medium to
dissipation devices within the drain prior to outfall. establishment high
Rock Temporary and Medium
Construction permanent
There are a number of aspects which need to be Rock Areas with turbulent High/
considered when constructing open drainage. mattress flow or high velocity. turbulent
These include: May be used as a
•Open drains should be constructed with either permanent measure
parabolic or trapezoidal shape and with batters Impervious High
less than 1(V):4(H). linings
•Low flows have the potential to scour the invert of
grass lined drains or to exclude access for
maintenance (mowing) due to sodden conditions. •Energy dissipaters and erosion protection
Drainage of low flows either by subsoil drainage measures should be provided at outlets from all
or constructed concrete inverts should be formed drainage systems.
considered at design stage.

DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT www.lrm.nt.gov.au

 Maintenance Contact details
Access for maintenance should be considered in For further information contact the DLRM Land
the design stage and local government authorities Management Unit in your region. Additional
should be consulted for specifications. Open Technical Notes and Erosion and Sediment
grass lined drains require batters to be traversed Control Guidelines are available on the website:
by machinery such as mowers or slashers. http://www.lrm.nt.gov.au/soil/management
Open lined drains correctly designed and
constructed should not require expensive or major Land Management Unit - Rangelands Division
works. Darwin: Phone (08) 8999 4572
Regular inspections should be undertaken to Level 3, Goyder Centre,
identify any erosion and sediment deposition. The Palmerston
inspection should identify the cause of the erosion Katherine: Phone (08) 8973 8838
and source of sediment and works should be 32 Giles Street, Katherine
undertaken to rectify the problem. Any areas Alice Springs: Phone (08) 8951 9208
where grass coverage has reduced should be Tom Hare Building, Alice Springs
revegetated.
Once vegetation is established there is no need
for grading.

DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT www.lrm.nt.gov.au