A stormwater pond is engineered to collect and manage rainfall runoff. When rainwater lands on roofs, parking lots, streets, driveways and other hard surfaces, it doesn’t soak into the ground. It flows into your neighborhood stormwater pond through an engineered system of grates, pipes, shallow swales or ditches picking up pollution along the way. Stormwater ponds have been required for new housing developments in Florida since the 1980s. They are designed to help prevent flooding and to intercept litter, fertilizers, pesticides, and pet wastes, keeping them out of nearby streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, bays or the Gulf of Mexico. The ponds capture and contain the first inch of rainfall where most of the pollutants in stormwater runoff are concentrated. Since they are designed to capture pollution, they are not intended to look pristine like a natural lake. Stormwater ponds are man-made, and like all utilities, they need regular maintenance to work properly.

Ways to Improve Your Stormwater Pond