Blog Post

As fall rolls around, colorful leaves begin to fall off their trees and scatter lawns across the neighborhood. Extra clean-up is needed in the fall to keep your yard tidy as the leaves pile up. When cleaning up your yard, it is important to dispose of your leaves the right way! Many times, leaves end up on the street where they can be washed into storm drains, back up stormwater and enter our waterways where they can cause big problems…

What are invasive plants? While inspecting your stormwater detention pond, you may come across invasive plants crowding the area. Invasive plants are non-native plants that are introduced into the environment and often harm the local ecosystem.   What’s the issue? When invasive species find their way into stormwater detention ponds, they can inhibit stormwater pond function. Invasive plants like giant reed/phragmites, cattails and reed canary grass can fill in a detention pond by trapping sediment. As detention basins are filled…

What is shoreline erosion? During inspections of your local stormwater detention pond, you may notice signs of shoreline erosion. Common signs of a deteriorating shoreline can include: Loose soil around the shoreline Soil collapsing into the water causing murkiness Steep shoreline bank Why is Shoreline Erosion a Problem? When soil erosion occurs, the loose soil particles build a layer of sediment in the pond and make the water murky. Over time the extra layer of sediment in the pond can…

What are Inlet and Outlet Structures? The inlet and outlet structures of your stormwater detention pond are the most crucial component in maintaining the water level of your pond to prevent flooding in your neighborhood. The inlet structure is where the pipe that collects stormwater run-off from impermeable surfaces such as roads, roofs, and sidewalks empties into the detention pond. The water gradually releases to local waterways through outlet structures. Sometimes inlet and outlet structures fill with trash, sediment, or…

During storms, water is usually absorbed into natural surfaces like soil and vegetation. However, if the stormwater lands on a hard surface such as sidewalks, roadways and rooftops, the stormwater cannot be absorbed and will run-off, likely to a nearby stormwater detention basin. Detention basins, or detention ponds, collect and store stormwater to prevent flooding and erosion of local waterways. These detention basins can be found near residential and commercial areas. They can create a beautiful environment for homeowners to…