The Design and Use of Detention Facilities for Stormwater Management
Detention ponds are probably the most common management practice for the control of
stormwater. If properly designed, constructed, and maintained, they can be very effective
in controlling a wide range of pollutants and peak runoff flow rates. There is probably
more information concerning the design and performance of detention ponds in the
literature than for any other stormwater control device. Wet detention ponds are also a
very robust method for reducing stormwater pollutants. They typically show significant
pollutant reductions as long as a few design-related attributes are met. Many details are
available to enhance performance, and safety, that should be followed. Many processes
are responsible for the pollutant removals observed in wet detention ponds. Physical
sedimentation is the most significant removal mechanism. However, biological and
chemical processes can also contribute important pollutant reductions. The extensive use
of aquatic plants, in a controlled manner, can provide additional pollutant removals. Wet
detention ponds also are suitable for enhancement with chemical and advanced physical
processes.
This course will use the DETPOND stormwater detention pond model (model and
documentation) to evaluate and design stormwater detention ponds for a wide range of
conditions. DETPOND is based on the same modeling approach used in SLAMM, but
provides more detail to enable more effective evaluations. This course also includes
extensive documentation of successful pond designs and approaches.
This material is excerpted from: Pitt, R. Stormwater Quality Management, Part Two:
Treatment of Stormwater. CRC/Lewis. Boca Raton, FL. Publication forthcoming.
The following is an abbreviated table of contents of the course material available from
the downloadable pdf file:
Introduction ..................................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Expected Detention Pond Performance ....................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Potential Detention Pond Problems ..........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Wet Detention Pond Design Guidelines to Minimize Potential Problems ...............Error! Bookmark not defined.
Required Stormwater Detention Pond Maintenance ................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Basic Wet Detention Pond Design Guidelines .........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Wet Detention Pond Costs ........................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Pond Size Calculation...............................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Background ..................................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Multiple Benefits of Detention Facilities .................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Dry Ponds .................................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Wet Detention Ponds ................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Extended Detention (Combination) Ponds ...............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Roof Storage .............................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Up-Sized Pipes .........................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Underground Rock-Filled Detention ........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Use with Other Controls ...........................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Examples of Detention Pond Performance ...............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Oil/Water Separators ................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Problems With Wet Detention Ponds ...........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Safety of Wet Detention Ponds ................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Nuisance Conditions in Wet Detention Ponds and Degraded Water Quality ...........Error! Bookmark not defined.
Attitudes of Nearby Residents and Property Values ................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Maintenance Requirements of Wet Detention Ponds ...................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Routine Maintenance Requirements .........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Sediment Removal from Wet Detention Ponds ........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Vegetation Removal from Wet Detention Ponds .....................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Detention Pond Costs ...................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Guidelines To Enhance Pond Performance ..................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Insect Control and Fish Stocking ..............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Aquatic Plants for Detention Ponds ..........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Locating Ponds .........................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Pond Surface Area and Shape ..................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Pond Water Depth ....................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Pond Side Slopes ......................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Internal Baffles .........................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Outlet Structures .......................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Emergency Spillways ...............................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Multiple Detention Ponds and their use With Other Control Devices ......................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Enhancing Pond Performance During Severe Winter Conditions ............................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Detention Pond Design Fundamentals..........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Upflow Velocity .......................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Effects of Short-Circuiting on Particulate Removals in Wet Detention Ponds ........Error! Bookmark not defined.
Residence Time and Extended Detention Ponds ......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Particle Size ..............................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Particle Settling Velocities .......................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Pond Water Losses and Liners .................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Flow Rate Reductions In Water Quality Ponds ........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Control of Pollutants Other Than Suspended Solids ................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Natural Bacterial Dieoff in Detention Ponds ............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Design Based on NURP Detention Pond Monitoring Results ..................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Importance of Reservoir Routing .............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Introduction To Storage-Indication Method .............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Outflow Rates From Discharge Control Devices .....................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Stage-Area and Storage-Indication Curve Development ..........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Storage-Indication Calculation Procedure ................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Selecting Outflow Control Devices To Meet Water Quality Objectives ..................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Wet Pond Design Criteria for Water Quality................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
The Use of the DETPOND Program to Statistically Evaluate Wet Pond PerformanceError! Bookmark not defined.
DETPOND Verification using Data Collected at the Monroe St. Detention Pond, Madison, WIError! Bookmark not defined.
Method of Investigation ...........................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Data Analysis and Observations ...............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Particle Size Distributions and Short-Circuiting ......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Monroe St. Pond Verification Conclusions ..............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Verification Based on Measured Performance at a Landfill Pond in Birmingham, AL.Error! Bookmark not defined.
Issues Associated with Using a Continuous Record of Rains vs. a Single Event StormError! Bookmark not defined.
Stream Habitat Benefits Associated with Peak Flow Reduction Criteria .................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Untreated Flows Associated with Single-Event Criteria ..........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Benefits of Using Continuous, Long-Term Simulations ..........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Example Use of DETPOND and Wet Detention Pond Analyses .................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Analysis of the Wet Stormwater Detention Pond for the Brook Highland Shopping CenterError! Bookmark not defined.
The Use of DETPOND to Evaluate Wet Detention Pond for Minneapolis-St. Paul AirportError! Bookmark not defined.
Design Suggestions for In-Receiving Water Detention ............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Retro-fit Examples for Providing Water Quality Benefits in Existing Dry Detention PondsError! Bookmark not defined.
Evaluation and Recommended Modifications to a Small Dry Stormwater Detention PondError! Bookmark not defined.
Retrofit of Dry Detention Pond in Sunnyvale, CA ...................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Retrofit Case Examples from the Center for Watershed Protection (Claytor 1998) .Error! Bookmark not defined.
Conclusions ..................................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
References ....................................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Appendix A: User Guide for DETPOND .....................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Example Design Calculations and Evaluation Using DETPOND ............................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Steps in Entering Data for Evaluation in DETPOND ...............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Example 1: Create a Rain File for Use in DETPOND .............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Example 2: Edit the Rain File Created in Example 1 ...............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Example 3: Create a Rain File from CD ROM Data ................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Example 4: Stochastically Generate a Rain File .......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Example 5: Create a Particle Size Distribution File .................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.