Overseeing stormwater management is a noteworthy issue in Georgia that neighborhoods and commercial properties face.  The State of Georgia requires properties with detention and retention ponds to abide by their counties specifications for maintenance. Luckily, here at Georgia Stormwater Services, LLC we provide stormwater and vegetation management services to numerous properties throughout Georgia and thoroughly understand the regulations to pass county inspections.

Basically, HOA’s, property management companies and commercial business property proprietors are responsible for stormwater drainage and pond maintenance.

To avoid a negative inspection report and numerous fines, the maintenance for detention and retention ponds should not be neglected. County inspectors will make impromptu inspections to verify if your ponds are operating at full capacity.

Inspectors are searching for embankment damage caused by pest or erosion, woody vegetation, blocking at inflow and outflow pipes, cracks on headwalls, kudzu and exotic/invasive plants overgrowth.

You can pass an inspection if you maintain the key areas of your retention and detention ponds.

Erosion and Sediment Control 

When erosion happens, sediment and debris can wash into the ponds spillways, dams and basins which comprises the ponds slope stabilization and block the inlets and outlets from properly functioning. 

Thinning embankments may require reseeding. Rip Rap Rock may be added to offer additional support to areas with extensive erosion.  Other ways to help keep soil in place is by planting vegetation to slow the flow of water. 

 Pest Control 

Rodents can tunnel into the ground and disturb the surface along the embankment and behind the headwalls damaging the ground prompting erosion and silt run-off. Traps can be set and a rodent specialist can remove them, however to the extent fixing the harm, the holes can be filled with fill dirt and rock, topsoil placed and reseeded.

Also when a pond is not maintained properly it can potentially become a breeding ground for mosquitoes greatly increasing the costs and man-power needed to bring the pond up to regulation. 

Invasive plant vegetation control 

There are a multitude of different plants that can be considered invasive to your retention and detention pond. Some of them are cattails, kudzu, sumpweed, cocklebur and sesbania.  These invasive plants are water-loving weeds that grow like crazy which crowd out other vegetation that is needed to help maintain your pond and stop erosion.

A proper vegetation management plan is needed for clearing out the invasive plants and knowing when and how to cut them back so they do not re-grow thus reducing overall cost associated with yearly maintenance.

 Keep Inlets & Outlets Unobstructed 

A build up of vegetation, silt, sediment and trapped debris and trash can cause blockage to a ponds inlet and outlet structures.  These structures need to remain unblocked to allow water flow in and out of the pond basin as designed

Progressing upkeep with a maintenance plan that incorporates cutting back weeds and tall grasses that obstruct the inlet and outlet structures as well as excavating the silt and sediment that has built up and removal of trash and debris will enable a pond to pass inspection.

 Be ready for an inspection with a maintenance plan  

Georgia Stormwater Services, LLC offers an extensive range of services to help meet with regulatory obligations associated with your retention and detention pond.

Contact us today for a consultation on regulations, violations and remediation requirements to help pass a county inspection.  We offer maintenance plans to help you improve function and control cost. 

 Call us at: 770-710-4379

Email us at: michal@georgiastormwaterservices.com

Posted in Stormwater Management

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