Caroline Ridge Owners Association, Inc.

Retention Pond Maintenance Issues...

May 21, 2003

Shortly you will again notice maintenance crews spraying the retention ponds for weeds, algae and mosquitoes. The association is required by the state through St Johns Water Management District to keep the ponds up to state standards. The water management district put in place rules requiring all neighborhoods constructed since 1986 to put in place inspection and maintenance services to maintain the retention and detention areas as designed, ?“as water filtration and overflow areas?” for drainage from newly installed streets and culverts. These ponds and detention areas filter out pollutants like fertilizers, pesticides, motor oils, heavy metals and pollutants from the street as part of normal everyday vehicle traffic. The tires on your vehicle are made up of mostly petroleum products and as they breakdown during wear, leave a film on the street that eventually washes into the retention pond or detention areas. Trash too that is in the street eventually ends up in the ponds and detention areas after heavy rains. In their brochure on homeowner maintenance, they highlight several things you can do to help maintain these water retention areas. If you live around a pond that is wet, you can plant trees along the banks. Not only do these provide shade, but they help absorb nutrients and lower the water table. You can also avoid using strong pesticides and herbicides that could harm beneficial organisms in the pond and if too many fertilizers that wash into the pond, causing large algae blooms. This results in increased expense to the association which must have it treated and in some cases, removed. Their booklet also recommends shoreline vegetation such as flower gardens or vegetation that likes wet areas, to reduce erosion and catch storm water runoff before it reaches the pond. They do caution though that you should not plant items that could spread throughout the pond, items such as bamboo or cat-tails. These type of things can clog the pond and result in significant costs to have them removed, something the homeowner who planted them will be responsible for. Other things you cannot do along the water?’s edge is erect docks, piers or barrier walls that would interfere with the natural slope of the embankment. Doing those items can result in fines and reconstruction costs to bring the embankment back to state standards. If you would like one of these water management guides they can be ordered online at http://www.sjrwmd.com.