Santa Ana Development Selects StormVault Detention System

In sunny Southern California, land is as precious as it is finite.  

So, when the Cowan Ranch Estates, a new luxury residential project in Santa Ana, California, was being planned, developers knew they wanted to maximize buildable area. 

Tucked in the scenic foothills and bordered by Peters Canyon Open Space Preserve, Cowan Ranch will offer direct access to hiking, biking, and even equestrian trails. Combined with surrounding neighborhoods where homes routinely sell for millions, the site drew strong interest from buyers and developers alike. 

“They are building 16 high level spec houses that are going for $1.5 million to $2 million each meaning, they didn’t have room to put a standard above ground detention basin,” says Zach Kent, Vice President of Stormwater Solutions for Jensen Infrastructure. “That would’ve cost them a few houses, so for them it was a no brainer, put it underground and save the land to have more buildable area for streets, houses, everything.” 

Underground Storage Maximizes Land 

In dense markets, the choice between surface basins and underground storage is disappearing, detention ponds consume the very space projects need for homes, streets, and amenities. As impervious cover increases, stormwater management has to be planned from day one.  

“With Cowan Ranch, we were at about 18,700 cubic feet of storage,” says Kent. “This was designed purely for stormwater volume control, no hydromodification. We had a relatively shallow profile because where they had the tie in was only six feet deep, so we went with a single vault.” 

The single vault detention system Jensen delivered was 11’ W x 6’ H and spanned nearly 100 feet. During the installation, Jensen had two of our field service managers onsite to help guide the contractor, Espinoza Engineering, on best practices for positioning and setting the precast components. 

“While every project has its challenges, our field presence gives confidence to those who may not be familiar with installing larger detention systems,” says Brad Oien, a Field Service Manager for Jensen. “We work with the project’s leadership to ensure a quality installation by helping to ensure installation tolerances are within specification, ensure our logistics will meet the project’s schedule, and we can act quickly as the manufacturers liaison if any issue may present itself.” 

StormVault™ is Simple 

When you choose StormVault, you choose a highly customizable and easy to install stormwater management system built on box culvert. Our patented design utilizes base slabs, spanning slabs, and box culvert to create void space that detains stormwater. This configuration leads to fewer pieces, less weight, and ultimately, less cost.  

Plus, since StormVault is built on standard box culvert forms, it allows us to be quick on our feet, leading to quicker submittals and less lead time. 

Also, Jensen has a full suite of stormwater management products. From upstream treatment to downstream biofiltration and all the reinforced concrete pipe and manholes in between, Jensen Infrastructure is your one-stop shop for stormwater infrastructure. 

Contact us today to start on your next project.