When we first built our house here 30 years ago, we had a "go 'round" with the township over the issue of rainwater runoff. Now I can fully understand the concern with runoff from large parking lots and buildings like Wal-Marts. I can even understand the issue as it may apply to large developments with lots of sidewalks, driveways, paving, etc. But I do not think that my small house sitting on 2 acres has enough of a roof that rain runoff is going to "flood the Potomac" (which is what one twp employee actually told me). But we built the house and the twp. insisted that we construct a "swale" to capture the enormous quantities of runoff that would pour (Niagra-like) from our modest little rancher. Our contractor balked and the deadline for completing the swale passed.
I came home from work one afternoon to find a twp. backhoe in the back yard digging an enormous (2-3 feet deep) pit. This was to capture the runoff and save Washington DC from apocalyptic flooding.
Now, under most circumstances I am the meekest of individuals. Polite. Unassuming. Quiet. Agreeable.
Until someone messes with my land.
Then, I'm a junkyard dog. And in this case, somebody let the dog off the leash.
I'll never forget the look on his face when out of nowhere I climbed into the cab and started shouting at the backhoe operator.
Long story short: the township filled in the pit and hauled in (at no charge) several truckloads of nice topsoil to build up a sort of gentle "berm" instead. This, they agreed (terrified) would be sufficient to protect the Capitol and all souls south from being inundated. It's an idiotic nuisance to mow over but there you go. Compromise. *shrug*
Anyways, ever since, I've had these recurring dreams/nightmares where I come out on the deck and there below the deck is this huge pond or pool, usually filled with jagged rocks and deep water and lots of strange aquatic life. Sometimes it's a nice thing; other times it's terrifying.
And it's lately been in the back of my mind that maybe someday I would like to actually go ahead and put in a very big pond in the back yard... it's a natural location for one, and the view from the deck looking out over a pond would be spectacular. The construction would be immense of course, and expensive, but it sure would be something....
***
My cousin told me that whenever anybody tries to mess with my land I should simply say "Go ahead. Just remember, I got a shotgun, a shovel and two secluded acres out back." *LOL*
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