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Retention ponds help manage stormwater runoff, erosion and flooding issues.Water management is a vital part of a healthy and efficient commercial property. And one feature that can help with that is a retention pond.

Retention ponds help manage stormwater runoff, erosion and flooding issues. These artificial lakes permanently hold water and are normally surrounded by some type of vegetation.

Property management companies in Georgia are required to maintain their retention ponds to make sure the stormwater on their properties is properly collected.

This may not be news to you, but to ensure your retention pond is working and complies with codes, the city and/or county will perform annual or biannual inspections. So, it’s important the ponds meet all of the requirements and run at full capacity.

Things that can cause a retention pond to be out of code include:

  • having too much debris
  • not running properly
  • not meeting the city or county’s specific, predefined requirements

If your property’s retention pond isn’t up to code, you could face fines. To avoid that unpleasantry, here are three retention pond maintenance must-dos to help you stay proactive and keep your retention pond up to code.

The Addition Of Plants Around The Pond

Vegetation can serve as a buffer around the retention pond to protect against erosion and also help keep pollutants from running into the water.Vegetation can serve as a buffer around the retention pond to protect against erosion and also help keep pollutants from running into the water.

Installing native plants that do well in high-moisture environments around retention ponds is a great start. Grass is ideal for slopes near these ponds.

Not only can these plants serve a vital purpose in making your pond more efficient with containing pollutants, they can also add aesthetic value and visual interest around the area.

Installing the plants during a dry time of year, first prepping the area around the pond, is best. Also, and it may seem obvious, these newly added plants should not block access to the retention pond’s maintenance access.

Ponds should also have an aquatic bench — a shallow shelf using wetland plants — around the edge, according to the U.S. EPA. This will assist with the pollutant uptake, while helping to stabilize the soil at the edge.

Landscape Maintenance Improves Retention Pond Functions

Not only will a properly maintained property attract tenants, but it can also help your retention pond meet the required standards.

Keep the vegetation surrounding the retention pond trimmed back to a manageable height. You want to make sure it’s not so high that it blocks pond accessibility, so remove any overgrowth.

But, you don’t want to overtrim the vegetation because it helps collect pollutants from stormwater runoff before it reaches the pond.

The vegetation will also help stop any runoff from chemicals like fertilizers or herbicides from getting in the retention pond.

Aerate The Turf

aerating the turf will help the ground better absorb the water and lawn care chemicals

Besides weekly mowing, it’s also important to ensure the turf’s soil doesn’t become compacted. Compacted soil can cause soil erosion and even an overflow situation in the retention pond.

When soil becomes compacted, it can’t properly absorb water, fertilizers and herbicides, so that water is forced into the pond. If the conditions are bad enough — excessive rain and compacted soil — that can create more water than the retention pond can handle, leading to an overflow.

By aerating the turf annually — twice a year for high-traffic areas — you can break it up and help the ground better absorb the water.

Aeration has other benefits for your property, as well, like allowing needed nutrients to reach the grassroots. That will give you greener, lusher and healthier turf.

Keep Your Retention Pond Up to Code

To make sure your retention pond meets all of the city and county’s codes and requirements, work with a commercial landscaping company to enhance and maintain the area.

HighGrove Partners has an experienced, certified team that can help you with all of your water management services.

We offer things like detention and retention pond renovation and maintenance, grading, drainage, sediment and erosion control, lake clarification and rainwater reclamation.

When you’re ready to solve your commercial property’s drainage problems, call us at 678-298-0550 or contact us online.

 

Last modified: June 3, 2021

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