Sustainable Industrial Stormwater Ponds

Managing stormwater runoff is critical to protecting local water quality and preventing property damage to storage facilities and machinery. Runoff is any water that will not seep into the ground or evaporate. Examples include water collecting on impervious surfaces, such as parking lots. Best management practices (BMPS) support stormwater pollution prevention. One option is sustainable industrial stormwater pond management. What does this look like?

Ponds as Industrial Stormwater Infrastructure

Stormwater ponds are artificial retention basins. They collect runoff that comes from rain, snowmelt, and excess irrigation. Besides preventing industrial facilities from flooding, these ponds protect the environment from pollutants that the water may have picked up. Examples include:

• Contaminants that are typical of industrial operations.
• Pesticides and fertilizers are applied to nearby ornamental lawns and flower beds.
• Oil, grease, and chemicals are leaking from cars and machinery.

Your industrial stormwater detention ponds prevent stormwater runoff from carrying these pollutants to nearby rivers and groundwater.

Understanding Your Stormwater Pond

There are different types of detention ponds you may be using. Dry ponds, such as infiltration ponds, are designed to hold runoff only temporarily. These ponds should drain any water within one to three days. Wet ponds, such as retention ponds, have a consistent pool of water. They work well by allowing pollutants to settle to the bottom.

Over time this sediment has to be removed, and may require draining the pond to do so. The specific type of pond on your property is determined by a variety of factors including volume of water, contamination risk, and more.

Added Environmental Benefits of Stormwater Ponds

While filtering out pollutants is the primary reason for effective and sustainable industrial stormwater pond management, these stormwater management systems have added benefits. Depending on your ponds’ setup, they may support biodiversity by becoming habitats for aquatic organisms, birds, and amphibians. Additionally, they allow for a gradual replenishment of the local groundwater supply.

Challenges Associated With Ponds

Although considered long-term green infrastructure (as opposed to the traditional gray infrastructure of pipes and culverts), even stormwater ponds require regular inspections, vegetation management, and debris removal. For example, your pond may have standing water where it should not, and plant growth could occur where you do not want it.

Contaminated sedimentation may limit the pond’s ability to hold sufficient stormwater runoff. Another challenge is the buildup of trash and debris. Plastic bottles, aluminum cans, grocery store bags, and candy wrappers are just a few of the items routinely foundin stormwater ponds. Another challenge sustainable industrial stormwater ponds management must address is aging infrastructure, such as deteriorating liners or neglected inlet/outlet pipes

What Happens if You Do Nothing?

It is tempting to put off dealing with the problems you notice. However, doing nothing will not resolve the pond problems. On the contrary! You may notice that some problems create secondary issues you do not want.

• Blockages. Trash and debris will clog inlets, outlets, and drains in your stormwater pond. The same is true for uncontrolled vegetation that easily blocks inlets and outlets. In some cases, this type of clogging will prevent native plant life in wet detention ponds from thriving, eventually resulting in a die-off and subsequent erosion.
• Standing water combined with decomposing organic matter results in unpleasant odors and an unappealing appearance. The ongoing oxygen depletion will likely result in the death of aquatic wildlife. If nutrients accumulate, your pond may experience an algae bloom, a known contributor to water quality degradation.
• Compliance problems. An industrial stormwater pond that no longer fulfills its role in runoff management will reduce the overall functionality of the stormwater management system. Not surprisingly, this may result in you being out of compliance with local mandates.

Sustainable Solutions Help You Remain Within Regulatory Compliance

Well-maintained ponds accumulate less debris and sediment, maintaining their functionality for longer. Subsequently, they meet EPA NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) standards. You will also find that stormwater ponds contribute to your company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets, aligning with stated corporate sustainability efforts. Besides that, a well-maintained pond simply looks better on your property.

Storm System Management for Detention Ponds

Proactive maintenance can prevent expensive repairs and maintain the pond’s filtering efficiency. Each maintenance appointment begins with an inspection. A technician will evaluate the infrastructure that supports your stormwater management strategies. If problems require immediate attention, they will notify you promptly. Additionally, if situations may need your attention going forward, technicians can alert you to potential future repair expenses.

Regarding your detention pond, technicians may offer a range of services.

• An inspection that gives you an overall understanding of how well the pond continues to treat stormwater.
• A debris cleanup that removes trash and detritus, which frequently reduces the pond’s functionality.
• Removal of built-up sediment because it can cause detention pond overflow by reducing the detention pond’s holding capacity.

Inviting the CatchAll Environmental Team to Assist With Your Industrial Stormwater Pond and Other Stormwater Management Systems

Entrust your detention pond’s inspection and cleaning to the experts who routinely work with local clients to keep them compliant and ensure that their stormwater management systems are well-maintained.

Ponds play a crucial role in your stormwater management plan, and a reduction in its effectiveness impacts the entire system. Our team specializes in inspections, storm drain cleaning, sediment removal, storm pond remediation, and filter vault cleaning.

Call us today to schedule a maintenance appointment!