Commercial property maintenance not only protects buildings, equipment, and inventory from damage, but it also helps maintain safe premises. Many properties use retention ponds to deal with stormwater and runoff. Use this guide to learn more about these bodies of water and what retention pond maintenance involves.

What Is a Retention Pond?

Also known as a wet pond or retention basin, a retention pond accumulates stormwater and runoff from roads, parking lots, and other commercial areas. The artificial body of water typically features tall grasses and similar aquatic vegetation around it to prevent commercial site flooding and erosion issues. Most retention ponds remain permanently full of water and attract wildlife such as ducks and geese.

In addition to helping prevent erosion and flooding issues, retention ponds provide contaminated runoff solutions on construction and industrial sites. The body of water can decrease groundwater and natural waterway pollution. These ponds often feature high walls to limit contamination and a special lining to prevent oil and other pollutants from making contact with the soil.

How to Maintain It

Retention pond maintenance keeps the artificial body of water up to county, state, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency codes. Issues such as excessive debris and faulty operation frequently result in fines.

Ensure your pond remains up to code by adding vegetation around the perimeter or keeping current vegetation at a reasonable height for accessibility purposes. The perimeter must have an “aquatic bench,” or shelf of wetland plants, to keep the soil stable.

You should also make sure the soil around the pond remains slanted and aerated to promote drainage. Biannual aeration allows the soil to absorb water, herbicides, fertilizer, pesticides, and other runoff to prevent pond overflow issues.

Also, inspect connected storm drains for clogs that impede water flow, and remove silt and debris buildup from the pond as needed. Grass clippings and other organic materials such as animal waste promote fast algae growth. 

Schedule retention pond maintenance with Clearly Aquatics in Bloomfield, NY, to keep your artificial water feature functional. Specializing in algae control, aeration, and other maintenance services, this company offers over 15 years of experience. Call (585) 657-7679 to make an appointment, or visit the experts online for a complete list of services.