Upstream Environmental can provide scheduled maintenance for your permitted detention or retention pond to keep it in compliance with The City of Houston & Harris County SWQ regulations.

It’s always best to keep it mowed and clean of trash and debris so that it functions properly and safeguards against flooding to your property or adjacent properties.

Two different kinds of ponds are often used for flood control and stormwater runoff treatment; wet ponds and dry ponds.

Both systems function to settle suspended sediment and other solids typically present in stormwater runoff.

Wet ponds are also called retention ponds and they hold back water and has a permanent pool of water that fluctuates in response to rainfall and stormwater runoff from contributing areas.

Maintaining a pool discourages resuspension and keeps deposited sediments at the bottom of the pond.

Detention ponds are more common and serve as important flood control features. They are usually dry except during or after a rain event.

Their purpose is to slow down water flow and hold it for a short period of time such as 24 to 72 hours before releasing the stormwater into bayous or streams.

Dry ponds can be designed for a variety of storm events and purposes.  The land area available for construction, slope of the site and contributing area are all factors to be considered.  Also an emergency spillway is usually installed to prevent property from flooding.