In northern New Mexico, most days the ground is dry and then, in a few minutes of a summer storm, an empty arroyo becomes a river. Industrial sites are hard surfaces by design, so every roof, apron and truck court you add sends more water downhill faster than the undeveloped land did. Our stormwater work is about giving that water a planned path, holding some of it back, and releasing the rest where it does no harm to your neighbors or to your own building.
We build detention basins, retention ponds, swales, inlets, storm drains, culverts, headwalls and outfall protection for small industrial and commercial sites. We coordinate the earthwork, the pipe, the concrete structures and the erosion-resistant surfacing, and we coordinate with the civil engineer so that what goes in the ground matches what was approved.
The best drainage is unremarkable. It works in the first storm, requires little maintenance and does not change the look of the property. That is the standard we build to.
Because small sites near Santa Fe sit close to neighbors, roads and historic villages, we pay attention to where water leaves the property. A culvert that discharges onto a neighbor's lot or an acequia bank creates a complaint that outlasts the project, so outfalls are designed, built and photographed with that in mind.
Water in a dry place
Drainage here carries more history than newcomers expect. The Rio Grande, Rio Chama and Rio Santa Cruz meet at Espanola, and Galisteo Creek runs through the Galisteo Basin. Abiquiu Dam on the Rio Chama stands 354 ft high and was built mainly for flood control, and its reservoir has never filled to its 1,369,000 acre-foot capacity. Those facts say something about how seriously the region treats runoff, and why county and state reviewers read drainage plans closely.
Acequias add another layer. Settlers in places like Truchas built acequia irrigation canals centuries ago, and many still carry water across or beside rural parcels. If your property touches one, outfall location and quality matter, and we involve the acequia association early so that your runoff never becomes their problem.
Monsoon timing matters for the construction period too. We keep silt fence, inlet protection and stabilized entrances in place and maintained, and we stage excavations so that large areas are never left open going into the wet season. After a heavy storm, the first call is to the project trade crew to walk the site, not to a neighbor to ask whether there was damage.
What reviewers want to see
Most jurisdictions require a drainage plan stamped by a licensed engineer that shows pre-development and post-development flows, the detention volume provided, outlet sizing and downstream impacts. They may also require erosion and sediment control for the construction period and a maintenance plan after it. We read the approved plan carefully and build to it, and we raise questions before pouring headwalls rather than after.
The state's 2021 Commercial Building Code and the local land development rules both feed into the design, since roof drains, site grading and building floor elevations are tied to the stormwater plan. We keep the drainage report with the permit file and confirm that field changes get engineer approval in writing.
If a reviewer asks for a revision, such as a larger outlet pipe or a deeper basin, we price it the same day and tell you what it does to the schedule, so you can decide before the work is in the ground.
If a reviewer asks for a revision, such as a larger outlet pipe or a deeper basin, we price it the same day and tell you what it does to the schedule, so you can decide before the work is in the ground.
Components we build
Typical components include grading to shape sheet flow, concrete or rock-lined swales, curb inlets and grate inlets, storm drain pipe in reinforced concrete or HDPE, manholes, culverts under drives, detention basins with outlet structures, emergency spillways, and riprap or grouted rock at outfalls. We choose materials for freeze-thaw durability and for how well they hold up under cleaning equipment.
Detention is usually the largest item. We cut the basin to the design volume, compact the embankment in lifts, install the outlet control structure to the invert elevations on the plan and stabilize the slopes with seed, mulch or rock. For tight sites, underground detention pipes or chambers can free up surface area for trailers and storage, and we price both options.
Rock-lined channels and spillways are built to a gradation shown on the plans, not simply dumped. Stone size, filter fabric and edge treatment decide whether a channel lasts ten storms or a hundred. We place and inspect the rock in lifts so it interlocks, and we compare that approach with concrete lining on steeper runs, where erosion would otherwise cut under the edge.
Rock-lined channels and spillways are built to a gradation shown on the plans, not simply dumped. Stone size, filter fabric and edge treatment decide whether a channel lasts ten storms or a hundred. We place and inspect the rock in lifts so it interlocks, and we compare that approach with concrete lining on steeper runs, where erosion would otherwise cut under the edge.
Build it in the right order
Stormwater features go in early. Temporary sediment basins often become permanent detention basins, which saves cost and keeps the site clean from the first rain. Storm drain pipe goes in before the subbase for aprons, so we never have to cut a new slab to fix a pipe.
We test and document. Pipe is tested or inspected, structures are surveyed for invert elevations, and the finished basin is surveyed to confirm volume. Photos at each stage go into the file. The site clearing and mass grading trade crews set the grades that make all this work, and the pipe layout is coordinated with the site utilities package.
Where drainage meets the rest of the site
Drainage is the invisible half of paved areas. See how it ties in with truck courts and trailer yards, where slopes of one to two percent must carry water away from the dock while keeping trailers level enough to load. Concrete aprons in dock aprons and loading zones follow the same logic.
Owners in logistics and distribution and ecommerce fulfillment often have the largest paved areas, so detention can take a meaningful share of the lot. We help you pick between a surface basin, buried storage or a hybrid, and we show the effect of each on parking and truck circulation.
On an aircraft hangar site or any parcel with large roofs, roof drainage is a larger share of the total flow than many owners expect, and we route downspouts and roof drains into the detention system rather than letting them discharge across the apron.
On an aircraft hangar site or any parcel with large roofs, roof drainage is a larger share of the total flow than many owners expect, and we route downspouts and roof drains into the detention system rather than letting them discharge across the apron.
Send us the drainage plan
If you have an approved plan or a draft, we will review it from a builder's side and give you a clear price, a schedule and a list of questions for the engineer.
Common Questions
How big does a detention basin need to be?
The engineer sizes it from the rainfall design storm, the amount of new paved and roofed area and the allowed release rate set by the jurisdiction. As a rule of thumb, detention can take a noticeable part of a small lot, so it is worth planning the layout around it.
Can detention be underground?
Yes. Buried pipe or chamber systems save surface area but cost more and require access for maintenance. We price both so you can decide which makes sense for your site.
Who maintains the basin?
Normally the property owner. A maintenance plan is often part of the approval. We provide the outlet structure details and cleaning access so that routine work is simple, and we tell you what to check after heavy storms.
What happens in winter?
Freeze-thaw can heave pipe joints and crack concrete, so we use proper bedding, joint seals and air-entrained concrete. Outlets are sized to avoid ice buildup, and basins are graded to drain fully.
Do we need an engineer if you design-build?
Yes. A licensed civil engineer prepares the drainage plan on every project we do. See how we manage that under industrial design-build.