How Kirksville’s Stormwater and Drainage System Works

Stormwater is rain or melting snow that has to move somewhere after it lands on roofs, streets, parking areas and yards.

Kirksville handles that water through a combination of surface drainage and built infrastructure rather than one single underground pipe system.

Stormwater and sanitary sewer are different systems

Stormwater moves runoff away from streets and property.

Sanitary sewers carry wastewater from homes and businesses toward treatment.

A storm drain in the street should not be treated as the same system as a household sewer connection.

How runoff moves

Depending on the location, runoff can move through:

• street surfaces;
• curb and gutter;
• roadside ditches;
• driveway culverts;
• storm-sewer inlets and pipes;
• drainage channels;
• detention facilities.

Not every ditch or culvert is automatically City-owned.

Ownership, easements and right-of-way matter.

Engineering handles design and development review

Kirksville's Engineering Department publishes stormwater design criteria and reviews drainage calculations submitted for development approval.

For many drainage areas under 240 acres, the City's design criteria serve as the local engineering guide.

Some developments may also be required to provide stormwater detention when added runoff would affect the downstream system.

Detention is intended to control how quickly runoff leaves a site rather than simply sending all new water downstream at once.

Street Maintenance handles much of the physical upkeep

Street Maintenance currently lists duties including:

• storm-sewer cleaning and repair;
• right-of-way and ditch maintenance;
• curb and gutter work;
• driveway-culvert installation and related maintenance under City policy.

A separate City drainage-maintenance policy also addresses how some culverts and drainage features within rights-of-way or easements are handled.

Specific responsibility still depends on the property and structure involved.

Why drainage problems happen

Common causes can include:

• blocked inlets;
• sediment or debris;
• damaged pipe;
• inadequate ditch flow;
• failed culverts;
• runoff exceeding the capacity of a local system;
• changes upstream.

A puddle by itself does not identify which cause applies.

Reporting a drainage problem

The City's Citizen Service Request system specifically lists poor drainage as an example of a reportable service issue.

Give the City a precise location and describe what happens during rain rather than simply writing "drainage bad."

For the general request workflow, see How to Submit and Track a Kirksville Citizen Service Request.

The simplest mental model is:

Engineering helps define how the system should be designed. Street Maintenance helps maintain much of the built drainage system. The service-request system gives residents a way to report where reality is not matching the plan.