This paper describes a procedure to design pluvial drainage systems in such a way as to prevent large excavation volumes and erosive velocities. To this end the storage capacity of the channel system is taken into account. In a preliminary step, the procedure employs an approximate method to determine the channel dimensions. Therefore, the dimensions are adjusted by means of a numerical method of solution of the unsteady flow equations. An example is included. (KEY TERMS: surface drainage; agricultural engineering; drainage design; erosive velocity.)