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Storm water retention ponds are needed to hold excess storm flow and drainage until it can be
safely released to a receiving stream. The stored flow is released over an extended time period
to prevent downstream flooding, high current velocities, bank erosion and other problems associated with high stream flow conditions. Ponds also improve water quality by retaining sediments
and floatables that would have been discharged to surface waters.
Storm water retention ponds are required for many new residential and commercial developments in urban areas. The maximum allowable rate of discharge from a retention pond is usually
based on the area or acreage being drained and is established by local ordinance or code.
The rate of discharge from a pond is usually regulated by pumping. As soon as there is a sufficient water depth, the pump starts; it continues while the pond fills and stops when water is
drained from the pond. The pond continues to discharge long after the storm is over. Due to the
rainfall intensity and runoff characteristics of the landscape, the rate of pond filling usually exceeds the rate of discharge pumping. Thus the water is stored in the pond. The total volume of
storage depends on the pond area and depth.
Figure 1
Pump Station
a
Receiving
Water
Discharge
Force Main
Wet
Well
Check
Valve
h is the
static head
range for the
pump which
is the same
depth d, as
the storage
pond
Inlet Pipe to
Pump Station
Maximum Pond
Storage Level
Minimum
Water Level
Figure 2
The force main can also be designed to function as a flow control orifice. The force mains size
and/or length (usually in the horizontal run) can be selected so that sufficient dynamic head is
generated at the maximum discharge flow. For example, a force main that consists of 30 linear
feet of 10 inch plastic pipe followed by 20 linear feet of 8 inch ductile iron pipe may be the necessary combination to produce the desired head for the pump. If two or more pumps are connected
to this common force main, the flow and head conditions must be checked for all pumping
combinations.
If there is a gravity feed pipe from the storm pond to the pump station wet well (see Figure 3), it
may be possible to size this inlet conduit under a fully submerged condition to control the rate of
inflow into the pump station. The rate of inflow should be equal to the desired maximum pumping
rate and, at the same time, the dynamic losses attributed to the inlet conduit (in feet of head)
must be equal to the static head required for pumping. For example, under the maximum pumping (but limiting) flow rate, assume that four feet of static head must be maintained between the
pumped discharge elevation and the wet well surface water. Therefore, the inlet conduit to the
pump station must function as a control orifice to generate the four feet of losses. As the pond
water level decreases, the water level in the wet well will also decrease. However, as the static
head for the pumps increases, the pumping rate will decrease as governed by the pump curve.
The pumping rate will continue to decrease until the pond is emptied. This is advantageous
because the overall discharge to the stream is extended over a greater time.
The inlet pipe could be downsized for its entire length or a restrictor could be placed into the inlet
where the line enters the wet well. However, an undersized inlet line or restrictor could be
plugged by leaves or debris. The design engineer should exercise caution in regards to this
design option.
Figure 3
Pump Station
a
Receiving
Water
h2
Discharge
Force Main
Maximum Pond
Storage Level
Wet
Well
h1
Inlet Pipe to
Pump Station
sized for flow
control