What Is a Retention Pond?

 
A retention pond, also called a wet pond, is a large, permanent and human-made water feature that holds and treats excess stormwater. Since retention ponds store stormwater runoff, they are particularly important in residential neighborhoods, as well as industrial and agricultural sectors. 

Retention ponds serve a vital purpose and offer many excellent benefits. Understanding their function and how to maintain retention ponds through dredging is key to improving infrastructure.

What Is the Purpose of a Retention Pond?

The purpose of retention ponds is to help manage rainwater and prevent potential damage from flooding, water pollution and soil erosion. Various sectors rely on retention ponds as part of their water management systems:

• City planners and developers: It is vital for city planners to include retention ponds in their plans and developments for urban areas, including building new commercial plazas or residential streets. Many communities rely on retention ponds for safer infrastructure, including roads that don’t flood during heavy rain. 
• Landscapers: Landscapers may construct water retention ponds in golf courses and parks. Retention ponds can maintain greens by being part of an irrigation system and keeping water clean. 
• Industrial companies: Industrial businesses like warehouses, factories and plants may use retention ponds to manage stormwater storage. 
• Farmers: Retention ponds form an integral part of water management in agricultural practices. Farmers can use retention ponds to store water in wet seasons and use it in dry seasons. 

The Benefits of Retention Ponds

Retention ponds make up an important part of water management systems for municipalities, estates and businesses as they offer these advantages:

• Flood prevention: Water retention ponds store water and control water quantity to manage flood prevention and water flow. The ponds are perfect for collecting and storing large amounts of excess water. They also slow the flow of water and prevent roads, rivers and other natural bodies from overflowing.
• Natural water treatment: Retention ponds filter water without needing harsh chemicals or expensive equipment. As water is stored in the pond, sediment and debris sink to the bottom, improving the quality of the water that leaves the ponds.  
• Aesthetic enhancements: The ponds look beautiful and add an extra element of nature to cities and neighborhoods. Having natural, functional features that are also pleasing to look at may even increase property values. At the very least, it is an excellent selling point for homeowners associations or other residential committees. 
• Eco-friendly addition: Retention ponds can create a new habitat for wildlife like fish, amphibians and birds.
• Low maintenance: Retention ponds are low-maintenance water management options as they do not require highly specialized filtration systems or frequent maintenance schedules. 

How Do Retention Ponds Work?

Retention ponds are part of drainage systems. If you look around your neighborhood, you can easily notice these drains — some of them look like covered holes, others like lifted slabs of concrete pavement. These systems let stormwater run off to the ground and into a retention pond. 

It’s very important that these drains are only used for stormwater, as everything that goes into it empties out to retention ponds. Retention ponds have inlet and outlet pipes that help stormwater move the drainage systems into the pond and eventually into other bodies of water like rivers and lakes. 

The inlets let large amounts of water enter the pond, and the outlets let out small quantities of water as needed to maintain the correct water level.

There are a few important aspects to consider when designing and building retention ponds, including the size of the pond and its location. If constructed too close to areas where flooding is a concern, it can worsen the flooding. A poor design can mean water rushing in faster than it can be let out, making it harder to control the water level. 

Importance of Maintaining a Retention Pond

Though retention ponds are low maintenance, especially for such an integral part of water management systems, they still require maintenance. Retention ponds can gather a lot of pollutants from stormwater runoff, which collects as debris and sediment at the bottom of the pond.

The water can also become stagnant, which poses risks to health, living standards and wildlife. If the retention pond becomes stagnant or too polluted with sediment and debris, the following can occur:

• Algal blooms: As the pond accumulates muck at its bottoms, it becomes a breeding ground for nutrients that feed algae and invasive weeds. These invasive aquatic plants can negatively affect the pond’s ecosystem.
• Health hazards: Stagnant ponds can become breeding grounds for mosquitos and bacteria. Bacteria can leak into other water systems, causing widespread water contamination and outbreaks of diseases.  
• Poor living standards: Stagnant ponds are unsightly and cause bad odors. This can lower the value of the surrounding area.

Where Dredging Comes In

Stagnant ponds are clearly an issue to avoid, and dredging helps you do that. Dredging is a process that removes unwanted debris and sediments from the bottom of large bodies of water, like retention ponds. Dredging uses specialized equipment to create a vacuum and suck up and pump out the sediment and debris. 

Dredging is an excellent sediment removal process with these benefits that help you maintain retention ponds: 

• It improves the retention pond’s water quality by removing contaminants like sewage accumulation, other pollutants and trash from stormwater runoff. This is crucial for the retention pond to continue being its own natural filtration system. 
• It can remove debris like invasive weeds that can clog up the inlets and outlets. This ensures that water moves to the retention pond to maintain adequate water levels and not become stagnant.
• Since dredging helps improve water quality, it is an effective way to restore or protect the pond’s ecosystem and wildlife.  
• Dredging can restore or maintain a retention pond’s appearance and appeal by improving water clarity and removing odors. 

For businesses, municipalities or land owners, maintaining retention ponds is vital for effective water management and ensuring the highest health and safety standards. Dredging is an accessible and effective way to look after retention ponds. 

FAQs About Retention Ponds

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions regarding retention ponds and dredging: 

How Deep Are Retention Ponds?

The depth will depend on the size of the pond and the location’s unique requirements. Retention ponds are typically 3 to 9 feet deep, but some can be even deeper. If you are planning on building a retention pond, it’s vital to consult with various professionals, including the municipality, land surveyors and dredging experts. 

How Often Should You Dredge a Retention Pond?

A good rule of thumb would be to dredge retention ponds at least once every five to 10 years, but it may be more or less. What is more important is knowing the signs for when it is time to dredge your retention pond. You likely need to dredge if: 

• It is not storing or draining water as it used to.
• The water is becoming cloudy or stagnant.
• There are algae blooms.
• It is starting to look unsightly.
• It is starting to smell bad.

Are There Differences Between Retention Ponds and Detention Basins?

Detention basins also collect stormwater, but they only hold it temporarily. They are not permanently covered with standing water, and eventually, the water from a detention pond seeps into the ground. Since detention ponds do not hold water, they cannot improve water quality like retention ponds. 

Contact GeoForm International for Retention Pond Dredging Solutions

Are you ready to start your retention pond dredging project? You can trust our knowledgeable team at GeoForm International Inc. to understand the specifics of your retention pond project and offer industry-leading dredging equipment suited to your needs.

We offer various quality dredging solutions and equipment, including the Dino6 Sediment Removal System. This portable but powerful hydraulic dredge is an uncomplicated and cost-effective solution for retention pond maintenance and other projects. It features a 6-inch submersible pump, a four-cylinder diesel engine and a 66-inch-wide cutter head. 

Contact GeoForm International today to speak to one of our knowledgeable team members about dredging solutions for your retention pond!