PAVESTONE keeps Texas community out of dangerous waters

Words: Dan KamysA 2013 survey of residents in Coppell, Texas, identified the 160-acre Andrew Brown Park and its associated outdoor recreational activities as a major contributor to favorable living satisfaction in this desirable Dallas-Fort Worth community.

However, the 30 acres of lake in the park also serve to accommodate storm water runoff from 900 acres and more than 2,000 houses in the surrounding residential areas. The lake’s primary source of flow is an about 60-feet-wide X six-feet-deep channel that meanders through the neighborhoods. This can prove insufficient when managing high, fast-moving water caused by heavy rains and storms. Combine those factors with the notoriously soft clay found in the region, and residents face erosion conditions that can be both financially and physically dangerous.

Enclaves on the Parkway, one of the communities that border the south side of Andrew Brown Park, desired a more natural looking solution than rip rap or concrete with soil backfill to overcome the erosion issue. So, a PAVESTONE segmental retaining wall with concrete backfill was installed by JDK Associates Inc. The 26,000-square-foot segmental retaining wall featured blended earth-tone colors in a variety of paver sizes and styles to deliver a natural stone appearance. The wall not only satisfied the aesthetic demands of the residents in the neighborhood, but also provided the structural integrity and drainage system required to minimize erosion.

In addition, this creative approach proved to be a more time- and cost-efficient alternative to other construction methods considered for the project. Residents at Enclaves on the Parkway now take comfort in knowing that, during heavy rains that can cause flooding and fast-moving waters, the new PAVESTONE segmental retaining wall will protect the community and serve as an attractive addition to the backyards.
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