Highland Council

This chapter explains the purpose of highway drainage and describes the key components of a highway drainage system including roadside infrastructure, culverts and ditches, pollution control and flood prevention measures. The full design process from initial design stages through to production of design deliverables will be discussed. This includes a description of the methodologies that should be used in the analysis of drainage networks, and in the design of individual components including culverts, gullies, channels and soakaways. Advice is also given on the design of pollution control and flood prevention measures, commonly referred to as sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS). Throughout the chapter, tips on how to avoid common pitfalls and on safety matters to be considered in the design process will be provided.