Separate the water paths
| Observation | Question to investigate |
|---|---|
Ponding after rain | Are yard grades, roof drainage or outlets contributing? |
Depression behind the wall | Where is material being lost, and what remains concealed? |
Flow through a joint | Is this unwanted leakage or part of an approved drainage arrangement? |
Street flooding or canal debris | Which public office owns the affected asset? |
Two useful notes for the drainage investigation
Example observations to discuss with the assessor:
A depression returns after rain
Record the same location, the timing and any visible runoff from the yard. Ask the assessor to investigate the route of water and lost soil before pricing another fill. Do not step onto the depression or probe beneath it.
Water appears during dry weather
Record whether irrigation, a nearby utility or a changing lagoon level coincided with it. Those observations help direct the investigation; they do not identify the cause on their own.
EM 1110-2-2502, Flood Walls and other Hydraulic Retaining Walls
Ask how shoreline work handles upland runoff
Brevard NRM’s guidance addresses capture of one inch of runoff for Indian River Lagoon shoreline work, including canals. The application requests drainage arrows and a construction cross-section. Ask the designer to explain the actual system and its maintenance.
Do not simply seal visible openings or drill new outlets based on an online checklist. Changes need a design and permit discussion appropriate to the property.
Brevard environmental permitting review process · Brevard Surface Water Permit Application
Which issues belong with a city office?
Cocoa Beach Stormwater accepts reports of blocked street drains and continuing drainage problems at 321-868-3292. The city also directs canal-obstruction questions to Stormwater. Those contacts do not mean the city repairs a private seawall.
Cocoa’s July 2026 announcement funds baffle boxes at Indian River Drive outfalls. Ask which public outlet record relates to the parcel rather than assuming a planned public project resolves private drainage.
Faq · City of Cocoa secures more than $7 million in State Funding, July 20, 2026
Choose the repair after the cause is documented
Compare the investigation findings with the proposed joint repair, drainage work, backfill or injection. Ask which part addresses the cause and how the result will be checked. Use the injection questions when a product is proposed before the water path is understood.
How will you know what was addressed?
Ask for a short before-and-after record tied to the identified water path. It should show the work completed, any outlet or drain that must remain functional, and what still needs monitoring.
“The depression was filled, but what caused the loss, how was that path treated, and which conditions should prompt another visit?”
Keep the approved drainage layout and maintenance instructions. Do not block, enlarge or add outlets without having the change reviewed for the site.
Brevard Surface Water Permit Application · EM 1110-2-2502, Flood Walls and other Hydraulic Retaining Walls
Show sourcesHide sources
- Brevard County residential marine constructionSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- FaqSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- EM 1110-2-2502, Flood Walls and other Hydraulic Retaining WallsSource reviewed 2026-10-26
- Brevard environmental permitting review processSource reviewed 2026-10-26
- Brevard Surface Water Permit ApplicationSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- City of Cocoa secures more than $7 million in State Funding, July 20, 2026Source reviewed 2026-10-25