For people who like pond talk, you can take your appreciation to the next level by building a retention pond. If implemented correctly, a retention pond will enhance the value of your property and increase its curb appeal. Whether this is your first time planning and building a pond or you have some experience under your belt, there are several things to keep in mind when creating one.
Ponds are awesome. I started a pond construction and landscaping business at the age of 18 and now at 26, am continuing to grow it on my own as a successful freelancer. I’ve made all kinds of ponds for customers – garden ponds, water gardens, swimming ponds, commercial ponds, even retention ponds! Let me share some of what I’ve learned about building retention ponds for residential and commercial properties.
How to build a retention pond
Retention ponds are designed to hold storm water or wastewater from a building site. They can be used for landscape irrigation or as part of a treatment system for septic systems.
Retention ponds are designed to hold storm water or wastewater from a building site. They can be used for landscape irrigation or as part of a treatment system for septic systems.
Ponds should be located away from areas where water will be consumed by humans and animals, including livestock and pets.
retention pond requirements
The pond should be located away from wells and other sources of potable water supply so that they don’t become contaminated by runoff.
Ponds should never be located within 100 feet (30 meters) of any body of surface water such as streams, rivers and lakes.
The first thing to consider when designing a retention pond is the size. This depends on how much water you want to store, how much area you want it to occupy, and how deep the pond needs to be.
Retention ponds are usually rectangular or square in shape, but can also be circular or triangular. The most common shapes for retention ponds are rectangular and circular. Rectangular ponds have more usable surface area than circular ones but require more excavation because of their longer length. Circular ponds take less excavation but have less usable surface area.
The depth of the pond should also be determined at this stage as well as whether there will be any steps or terraces in the water’s edge. Steps allow for easier access into the pond and terraces provide additional space for planting greenery around your garden feature.
Retention Ponds are not just used for storage but also as an attractive feature in your garden or landscape design
The first step to building a retention pond is to determine the size of your pond. This will depend on the amount of water you want to store, how much water you need for irrigation or other purposes, and how much room you have in your yard.
Retention ponds are used to collect runoff from rainstorms and seasonal snowmelt. The collected water can then be used for irrigation or other purposes.
It’s important to have a good drainage system in place before building your pond. If you don’t have one already, consider installing one before creating your retention pond so that all runoff will go directly into the new pond instead of flowing into your lawn and causing erosion problems.
Retention ponds should be at least 5 feet deep so that they can hold enough water even during dry periods. If it’s too shallow, it won’t be useful as a stormwater catchment system because it may drain before storms arrive.
Retention ponds should also have enough capacity to hold all of the water that flows into them during heavy storms without overflowing or draining away too quickly afterward — especially if there’s no natural drainage system nearby that could handle runoff from larger storms (for example, an overflow pipe leading into a stream).
A retention pond is a man-made lake, used to collect and store stormwater runoff. Ponds are usually built to prevent flooding, and they’re also used to provide wildlife habitat and water quality improvements.
Retention ponds can be either small, shallow depressions or large, deep lakes. There are three main types of retention ponds:
Subsurface ponds are built in areas that do not have enough soil to support the pond’s weight. These ponds are typically lined with clay or synthetic material, making them more expensive than other types.
Surface ponds are built on solid ground and use a dam to hold back water. A spillway allows excess water to drain out if there’s too much rain in a short period of time. Surface ponds may have an earthen dam or concrete wall at the top of the embankment.
Groundwater ponds collect runoff from an entire watershed (land area drained by a river). They require extensive planning because they take years to fill up once built
retention pond design
The purpose of a retention pond is to store stormwater runoff, rainwater or snowmelt long enough to allow it to soak into the ground and recharge the groundwater supply. This can improve water quality by filtering out pollutants such as sediment and excess nutrients.
Retention ponds are most commonly designed as natural lakes, which tend to be rectangular in shape with a sloping embankment around their perimeter. They may also be built as artificial ponds.
Ponds for small-scale use can be constructed from simple materials such as sandbags filled with dirt or rocks, but larger ponds should be constructed using more durable materials that will hold up under pressure from floodwaters and withstand the effects of ice and snow.
Retention ponds are used to retain water from runoff from impervious surfaces such as streets, parking lots and roofs. They are often designed to hold stormwater for a period of time before it is released into a nearby body of water or allowed to percolate into the ground.
Retention ponds are required by the City of Austin for many developments in areas with limited access to natural drainage. These ponds can be either temporary or permanent features of your property design.
Retention pond requirements vary depending on your lot size, topography and other factors. The requirements below are general guidelines that may need adjusting based on your site conditions and specific needs.
Things you should know about retention ponds:
Ponds must have at least one outlet pipe and one inlet pipe; however, two outlets are recommended (one at each end). Ponds with more than one outlet are known as “multi-outlet” ponds.
If you plan to use your retention pond as a swimming pool or other recreational area, please contact us so we can help you determine the appropriate depth of water needed for safety purposes.*
The design and construction of a retention pond is a complicated process that requires the expertise of a trained professional. Before you begin the project, it’s important to know what kind of retention pond you need, how big it should be and how much water it will hold.
Retention ponds are used for many different purposes. They can be used for stormwater management, to manage runoff from agricultural fields, or to create recreational areas or water features in residential areas. The water level in a retention pond can vary depending on what type of use it is being put toward or where it is located geographically.
Retention Ponds: Requirements and Design Considerations
There are several factors that should be considered when designing a new retention pond or adding one to an existing system. These include:
Size: The size of your retention pond depends on its purpose and location. A large holding pond can store more stormwater than one that’s smaller, but larger ponds are also more expensive to build because they require more materials and more time to construct them correctly. You may want to consider building multiple smaller ponds instead of one large one if you don’t have enough space for both or if budget is an issue.
Location: Where your retention pond will be located
Retention ponds are designed to hold water for a certain period of time. They are also used for stormwater management and soil erosion control.
Retention ponds are usually constructed in low-lying areas where water may collect. They can be used in areas with moderate to heavy rainfall, but they are not effective in areas that receive minimal rainfall.
Retention ponds can be built aboveground or belowground. Aboveground ponds have a sloping side that allows the water to flow into the pond when it rains. Belowground ponds have no visible sides, but they do have an outlet and overflow pipe that allows excess water to drain out when the pond fills up with runoff.
Creating a retention pond requires careful planning, as these ponds need to be deep enough to hold the amount of runoff during storms and shallow enough to drain quickly during dry weather so that nearby residents do not have standing water in their yards when it rains again. The size of your retention pond depends on how much runoff your property receives during storms, but most residential retention ponds range from 50-60 feet long by 20-30 feet wide by 3-5 feet deep.
Retention ponds are designed to temporarily hold stormwater runoff until the water can infiltrate into the soil or evaporate. They are used in areas where it is not feasible to have adequate drainage. The number of retention ponds needed depends on the size of your property, how much water flows onto it, and how much space you have available for a pond.
Retention ponds can be constructed from concrete or earthen mounds. Both types of ponds require a spillway — an opening in the top that allows excess water to overflow the side of the pond during storms. An outlet works similarly; it allows water to flow out of the pond when there is no overflow from a storm event.
Before you begin building your pond, make sure that there are no other ways for rainwater to get into your yard or property — such as leaky downspouts or cracked pipes. If there are other means for rainwater to enter your yard, then installing a retention pond will not solve your problem!
The size of the retention pond depends on the amount of rainfall you expect and how much water you need to hold. The more rain, the bigger you can make your pond.
Retention ponds are usually built in a shape that looks like an inverted T. This shape helps direct water into the pond and reduces erosion. The ends of the retention pond should be slightly lower than its center so water flows smoothly into it.
Ponds should be at least 2 feet deep and at most 8 feet deep to protect against freezing during winter months. If a pond freezes over, it will crack and collapse if it is too shallow. Ponds that are deeper than 8 feet can be made shallower when not in use by covering them with boards or plywood sheets so they won’t freeze over completely in winter months when no plants are growing.
Retention ponds are usually lined with clay or plastic so they don’t leak out into the soil around them or pollute nearby streams and lakes when there’s heavy rain or flooding nearby.