Retention ponds collect the water that is drained from fields and turf areas to keep them from flooding during times of heavy rain. Most turf managers eventually will be tasked with retention pond maintenance sometime in their careers.
As the water in these ponds sits, often it can become stagnant and cause a foul odor. This obviously isn’t a pleasant experience for those using your facility. On top of the odor, they can also become an eyesore. Overgrowth of weeds and vegetation can often take over these ponds. They’re a magnet for pollutants and trash since they serve as the drainage basin for an area, and not to mention the bugs such as mosquitos they attract. Keeping a well-maintained retention pond can enhance the appeal of your facility, which leads to a better experience for your guests.
The first thing is obviously the current state of the pond. If it’s completely overgrown, full of muck and garbage, dredging may be necessary. This requires usually a specialized dredge to ultimately suck up and transport the muck, vegetation, and other unwanted elements of the pond. For small retention ponds, often an excavator is used.
For ponds needing minimal maintenance, other options are available. The first is using a pond aeration system. With proper water aeration, you will increase the oxygen in a pond, which over time will decrease the amount of muck built up at the bottom. The muck is normally what causes the foul odor and allows for a lot of invasive vegetation to grow.
If aeration is not an option or not within budget, your next best bet for ponds needing minimal maintenance is using pond muck removal pellets. These are ultimately the cheapest solution to removing pond muck; however results may vary, and they take longer than other methods to work. When a pond requires minimal muck removal, these may be a good solution.
Pond muck removal is an issue for retention ponds at sports facilities and country clubs across the world. Ongoing maintenance to these ponds will save you from ever having to resort to more serious methods for cleaning.-from Geoform International