All posts by ashleymelton

Retention Ponds Get Maintenance

Stormwater Solutions took over the maintenance of some retention ponds in Jacksonville, NC last week. The ponds were completely clogged and not functioning properly. Retention ponds are used to control  rainwater runoff to prevent flooding and erosion. Unless the drainage area is clean and free of debris, it can’t do its job to slow down the flow of water .

General maintenance and cleaning was performed. After a few hours, the ponds are draining and in compliance.

If you receive a Notice of Violation letter regarding your retention pond, just give us a call at 910-539-5600 and we’ll come out to inspect it and recommend solutions to bring it into compliance.

 

Clogged Retention Pond in Jacksonville, NC

 

Clean Retention Pond in Jacksonville, NC

 

Poor Pond Design Leads to Problems

 

Stormwater Solutions visited this pond in Jacksonville, North Carolina after a heavy rainfall event. The pond didn’t have an emergency spillway so the excessive rainwater caused significant underground erosion. This caused an erosion hole that has continued to get bigger. Poor pond design lead to the malfunction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keep a small problem from becoming a big problem or even a violation by having regular inspections and maintenance performed by a licensed specialist.

If you have received a violation letter or notice of non-compliance, let us know and we will be happy to discuss it with you.

Retention Ponds Suffer From Significant Rainfall

Retention ponds in Jacksonville, NC felt the effects from significant rainfall. During  recent inspections, Stormwater Solutions Group found several areas of significant erosion, clogged outlet structures and trash in the ponds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keep a small problem from becoming a big problem or even a violation by having regular inspections and maintenance performed by a licensed specialist. If you have received a violation letter or notice of non-compliance, let us know and we will be happy to discuss it with you.

Forebay Failure Morehead City, NC

We visited stormwater retention pond in Morehead City NC to find the forebay wall was washed through. One of the functions of the forebay is capture sediment and other debris. This keeps the retention pond cleaner and clearer and can extend the pond’s life as well as reduce maintenance costs.

forebay-failureHad we not addressed the problem, the business owner could have received a Notice of Violation letter as well as having to pay for expensive pond repairs in the future.

If you receive a notice of violation letter, let us help you get back in compliance!

Parrotfeather In New Bern, NC Pond

Stormwater solutions visited a retention pond in New Bern NC today to check out a possible algae bloom. What we found was parrotfeather. Parrotfeather is often used in decorative ponds but can easily escape that setting. If it does, it quickly becomes invasive in ponds and other calm bodies of water.

The pond in New Bern does have aeration but we found the level of the pond was above normal for the amount of rainfall in the past few weeks. Upon further inspection, we determined that the pond’s outlet structure was clear but was not able to drain properly because the downstream drainage ditch was full. Until the drainage area is dug out or clears of standing water the retention pond has no where to drain and this is causing the pond to be non-compliant.

Regular inspections and maintenance by a licensed specialist are important steps in keeping your pond operating at its best. That keep a small problem from becoming a big problem or even a violation. If you have received a violation letter or notice of non-compliance, let us know and we will be happy to discuss it with you.
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Pond Erosion from Hurricane Mathew

After hurricane Matthew dumped lots of rain in eastern North Carolina, Stormwater Solutions was in Jacksonville North Carolina doing inspections. After a big rain event like that, this is part of the service we offer our customers. Erosion like in the pictures below seems to be a common problem after a storm event like this.
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Retention Pond Compliance in Shallotte, NC

Stormwater Solutions was on site in Shallotte, NC to look at a retention pond that needed to be brought into compliance. As a result of the inspection, Stormwater Solutions found that the pond’s forebay was eroding and washing out in sections. The water was finding channels to run and bypass the overall berm.

The forebay and retention ponds are design to control the water flow and allow it to collect so that sediment and pollutants can settle to the bottom. Storm water passes over roadways, parking lots and other items and collects oils, grease and other pollutants on the way. Slowing down the water flow and allowing the pollutants to settle improves the quality of water going into the local water table and streams.

If you receive a Notice of Violation letter regarding your retention pond, just give us a call at 910-539-5600 and we’ll come out to inspect it and recommend solutions to bring it into compliance.

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Retention Pond Treatment in Morehead City

Stormwater Solutions was called out to the Handy Mart in Morehead City, NC last week to treat the cattails in their Retention Pond. The invasive plant species was taking over this Retention Pond.

Retention Pond in Morehead City
Retention Pond at Handy Mart in Morehead City, NC

Cattails can grow thick and nearly impenetrable and will choke out other vegetation. Stormwater Solutions also removed a tree that was obstructing the outlet structure. Retention Ponds are used to slow down water flow to prevent flooding and erosion. They also filter out pollutants from flowing storm water so some vegetation is preferred. However, out of control cattails can actually take over the pond causing water to stagnate and become a breeding ground for mosquitos and other pests.

Stormwater Solutions treated the cattails and removed obstructions so the water will keep flowing as intended!

Controlling Cattails in Ponds

We were called by the owner of a stormwater retention pond located in Jacksonville North Carolina. The pond was infested with cattails and they were taking over, as you can see from the picture below.

If there is just a small area of cattails, that’s generally ok. However, cattails can be highly invasive so the keyword is “control”. If they get out of control, they can block the pond’s inlet and outlet structures as well as provide an attractive environment for mosquitoes. Speaking of mosquitoes, just this week, a horse in the Jacksonville / Richlands area was found to have been infected with Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) from a mosquito bite. Because this virus can also infect humans, eliminating mosquito habitat is a key concern.

To control cattails, the root system has to be disrupted. Since we are licensed aquatic pesticide applicators, we treated this pond with environmentally friendly chemicals.

If your pond looks like this or you have a cattail population of concern, contact us and we will meet you on site to make an inspection for you.

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