Flood Prevention System and Method

Abstract

A flood defense system includes a perimeter barrier around an asset or zone to be protected and a soak way system disposed sub-surface within the protected zone and designed to collect surface water from within the protected zone. A sump is provided within the protected zone and includes a pump for pumping water from the sump outside the protected zone beyond the perimeter barrier. A series of sensors senses for the presence of ground water inside and outside of the protected zone and within the sump and a control unit coupled to the sensors controls the operation of the pump in order to remove water from the sump at a rate sufficient for preventing, or at least reducing, flooding within the protected zone. A control unit can provide warning of impending flooding.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flood management system for protecting an asset from flood water comprising:
 (a) a perimeter barrier disposed alongside and around said asset, said perimeter barrier comprising:
 (i) an upstanding wall for blocking surface water ingress into said asset; and 
 (ii) a subsurface barrier wall, said subsurface barrier wall separate from said asset; 
   (b) a drainage system within said asset comprising a drainage unit disposed subsurface and adjacent said subsurface barrier wall;   (c) a sump fluidically coupled to said drainage system for collecting water from said drainage system, said sump having a water level sensor configured to sense a water level in said sump;   (d) a pumping unit connected to said sump;   (e) a drainage conduit coupled to said pumping unit, said drainage conduit extending beyond said perimeter barrier; and   (f) a trigger mechanism coupled to said water level sensor and said pumping unit, wherein said trigger mechanism is configured to activate said pumping unit when said water level in said sump exceeds a threshold level.   
     
     
         2 . The flood management system of  claim 1 , wherein said asset includes a building, wherein at least a part of said building is separate from said perimeter barrier. 
     
     
         3 . The flood management system of  claim 1 , wherein said asset includes an exposed ground surface. 
     
     
         4 . The flood management system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of said perimeter barrier has a height not exceeding 1.5 meters. 
     
     
         5 . The flood management system of  claim 1 , wherein said drainage unit is separate from said subsurface barrier wall. 
     
     
         6 . The flood management system of  claim 5 , where said drainage unit is about one meter from said subsurface barrier wall. 
     
     
         7 . The flood management system of  claim 1 , wherein said drainage unit is disposed at a depth substantially the same as the depth of said subsurface barrier wall. 
     
     
         8 . The flood management system of  claim 1 , wherein said drainage unit is connected to said sump at a depth lower than said threshold level. 
     
     
         9 . The flood management system of  claim 1 , wherein said threshold level is an acceptable water table level in a protected zone. 
     
     
         10 . The flood management system of  claim 1 , wherein said pumping unit comprises a pump, wherein said pump is activated when water flow is determined to exceed a threshold rate. 
     
     
         11 . The flood management system of  claim 1 , including a sensor configured to measure ground water inside said asset. 
     
     
         12 . The flood management system of  claim 1 , including a sensor configured to measure surface water outside said asset. 
     
     
         13 . The flood management system of  claim 1  claim further comprising:
 (g) a control unit connected to a sensor and said trigger mechanism; wherein said said control unit includes:
 (i) a telemetry unit to monitor and manage water levels and pump unit activity; and 
 (ii) a communications unit to send flood related alerts to a remote management station. 
 
 
     
     
         14 . A method of protecting an asset from flood water said method comprising:
 (a) forming a barrier alongside and around said asset, wherein said barrier comprises:
 (i) an upstanding wall for blocking surface water ingress into a protected zone; and 
 (ii) a subsurface barrier wall, wherein said subsurface barrier wall is distinct from said asset; 
   (b) forming a drainage system within said asset, said drainage system including a drainage unit disposed subsurface and adjacent to said subsurface barrier wall;   (c) providing a sump subsurface in said protected zone, fluidically coupled to said drainage system for collecting water from said drainage system, wherein said sump has a water level sensor configured to sense water level in said sump and a pumping unit is connected to said sump;   (d) providing a drainage conduit coupled to said pumping unit, wherein said drainage conduit extends beyond said barrier;   (e) providing a trigger mechanism coupled to said water level sensor and said pumping unit, wherein said trigger mechanism is configured to activate said pumping unit when said water level in the sump exceeds a threshold level.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said asset includes a building and wherein said perimeter barrier is at least partially spaced from said building. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said asset includes an exposed ground surface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 (f) determining a soil porosity where said barrier is to be formed ;and   (g) determining the depth of said subsurface barrier wall based at least part on the basis of said soil porosity.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said subsurface barrier wall has a greater depth in more porous soil and a lesser depth in less porous soil. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 (h) spacing said drainage unit from said barrier on the basis of determined soil porosity.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 (i) determining a depth to place said drainage unit on the basis of determined soil porosity.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 (f) disposing in said asset a first sensor configured to measure surface or ground water within said asset; and 
 (g) disposing outside said asset a second sensor configured to measure surface or ground water outside said asset. 
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 (f) providing a control unit coupled to said sensor, wherein said control unit
 (i) is connected to said trigger mechanism 
 (ii) includes a telemetry unit to monitor and manage water levels and pump unit activity; and 
 (iii) includes a communications unit configured to send flood related alerts to a remote management station.