Sealcoating
Sealcoating makes already asphalted surfaces which can be partially permeable, completely impervious. In areas such as Assembly Point roadsides where driveways which slope toward the lake are sealcoated, run off goes right down the slick surfaces into the water.
During this storm event on a steeply sloped sealcoated driveway you can see how the diverter directs rainwater into the rain garden at the left. Very little run offreaches the bottom of the drive; without such remediation impervious sealcoated surfaces prevent the ground's ability to infiltrate on the property.
In spring 2015 The Assembly Point Water Quality Coalition published a paper (see file below) about the effects of sealcoating on driveways.
Several Coalition members walked the Point in April and May and noted which driveways were reallocated, which were asphalt, which stamped impervious and which were gravel, stone or natural. An spreadsheet was made (see below) charting the approximately 40 impervious drives out of 309 pieces of property noted on Town maps.
The APWQC is also offering small 10x10" "No More Sealcoating" signs. Please email us if you wish to post one in your yard to advance awareness of the hazards around this practice.
|
| ||||
ALTERNATIVES to SEALCOATING
Assembly Point Road
New permeable driveway
When an asphalt driveway has come with the house, or a permeable paver driveway is not an option, there are alternatives. The Carbognins at 197 Assembly Point Road wanted to stem the runoff from their asphalt driveway, which was causing erosion at their lakefront. By slicing a portion of the drive on the incline and inserting a drain, they were able to divert runoff into perforated pipes surrounded by crushed stone buried in their front lawn. At the same time, they were able to connect the downspouts from the roof of the house to this system - hence controlling much of the runoff.
