By Kyle Finerfrock
Avoid Dredging in This Decade
by Planning Ahead SOLitude Lake Management
W
hen communities begin anticipating and planning for possible future expenses,
they will likely discover that the removal of accumulated sediment in stormwater retention ponds has a very large price tag. In fact, dredging is often one of the largest expenses a community will ever face. Luckily, there are things that can be done to help reduce costs and prolong the timespan between dredging. By better understanding the purpose of our stormwater facilities and employing proper management techniques, a community can rest assured that the best decisions are made for the pond, the surrounding environment and the community’s budget.
While a stormwater pond can be a beautiful asset to a community, it also has specific engineered and environmental purposes. First, it is used to slow down and dissipate the energy of the flowing water from rainstorms, which picks up speed and energy as it passes over a community’s impervious
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surfaces such as roofs, streets, driveways and sidewalks. If the water doesn’t get slowed down by a stormwater pond, it can create erosion problems or flooding downstream. Second, a stormwater pond is used to collect pollutants and sediments in order to prevent them from being deposited elsewhere. Sediment, grass clippings, leaves, fertilizer, pollutants and other organic matter will all be collected and accumulate in the pond over time. At some point in a stormwater pond’s lifetime, the sediment accumulation will become too great and dredging will be required to remove several feet of sediment and restore the lifespan of the pond.
It can take years for a community to properly budget for a much-needed dredging project. As a result, lake management professionals are frequently asked to identify the exact timeframe dredging should take place, but often struggle to give a short answer. Each community is different and each has its own unique goals and variables to consider. In some cases, the decision to dredge comes
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