Writing about Construction Sequence of a Storage Ponds - Research Paper Example

?Construction Sequence A pond constructed well in a good location makes a good addition to the landscape within which it is constructed. A pond can be of various uses to the owner other than storing the water, it can be used recreational activities like viewing wildlife and even fishing. The stored water can be used for irrigation, and also fighting fire.But for the Forest Hills Metropolitan District Storage Pond Development, the new storage ponds would be used for “Water Augmentation purposes (releasing water from the ponds back into the Bear Creek watershed for use by water users downstream with senior in the event of a forest fire. It is however important that the basic procedure in the construction of a pond is followed so that the owner can come up with a top quality pond that is easy to maintain (Hyde & Perry 5). The first step in this process is finding a good location for the pond. This process is more important than the actual pond construction. Most sites are unsuitable for pond construction and whether the construction is inch perfect or not, the pond will fail if the site is not good enough. It is therefore important to analyze the safety of the area, topography, geological makeup, features of the drainage area and the water holding ability of the soil in that particular area. Pond safety When planning for a pond, do not ignore the chances of the pond failing and in addition to the damage that can be caused by the rapidly released water. It is therefore important to locate the pond in an area where such a failure cannot cause damage to infrastructure or risk the lives of people or livestock. If it has to be in such an area, it is important to seek the services of an engineer who can come up with a design that is safe and fail proof. The site should not have any underground cables or pipelines as they can be broken or cause injury during excavation. This should also be the case to areas with electricity lines crossing above as they could be caught by a fishing line if they hang low. Water bodies attract different sorts of people from children to adults, this applies to ponds as well. It is therefore important to make the pond safe for activities like fishing. The pond owner should have any stumps removed so that boat riders should not have any trouble when having fun in the pond (Hyde & Perry 7). Soils in the Pond The texture of soil can vary depending of the depth and might change strongly over a short distance. For the site to be appropriate for a pond, the soil has to be able to hold water. The soil layer should be thick in order to prevent excessive leaks, clay soil is recommended for pond construction since their texture is good and even better when it is a mixture of sand and clay. Sands with course textures do not hold water and are not recommended. A mixture of sand and gravel is even worse. In case a part of the pond has poor soil, it can be made impervious by adding betonies clay, this is however an expensive affair and it is advisable that an alternative pond site is chosen (Hyde & Perry 10).The profile of the soil beneath the damn should be studied as well because if it is not impervious, the water can seep away in the long run and therefore the foundation of the pond should be sealed using impervious soil to make seepage impossible. Geology Building a pond in areas with limestone deposits is risky since the area might have invisible crevices which could make the pond to leak, such areas even have granular soils which leak even when wet. Such sites should have a thorough investigation done of them so that it is certain that they can hold water. Topography The cost of construction of a pond mainly depend on the lay of the land since if a pond with a high storage volume is needed, the site should have a low earth fill so that excavation work does not cost too much. A site with two ridges towering over either sides is good since it allows a large area to be flooded with ease. These areas also reduce the chances of some areas of the pond having shallow water. Excavated ponds are expensive and therefore it is advisable that a site that stores water above the ground is chosen (Hyde & Perry 7). Watershed Area A pond that is supplied by surface run off should have a drainage area which is huge enough to fill the pond and maintain a high level of water when drought strikes. There are no specific rules that are set to determine the size of a watershed area which is able to fill up and maintain a pond of a given size. Some rules however apply like a watershed of clay which has pasture and is made of clay need just a paltry 5 acre land for a surface acre of water. Pollution of pond water can be prevented by constructing the pond away from sewer lines and farms which may drain chemicals into the pond when it rains. Water sources and quality The first source of pond water is rainfall runoff; this is a good source of free water. This depends on the chemical and physical composition of the watershed. But from studies, the best is the watershed covered by vegetation or trees. Non vegetated watersheds have the risk of making the pond muddy while that with concentrated livestock population has too much nutrients and will contaminate the pond therefore should be avoided. Watersheds that have crops should also be avoided since they have a lot of pesticides and will contaminate the pond. The second source of pond water is the ground water. Ground water is majorly found in wells and are mostly used to maintain the pond water where the watersheds are inadequate. They can also be use as the primary source of water. It is good because the quality of water is very good but its construction is costly and might not produce enough water to replenish the pond. The third and final source of pond water is surface water, these are mainly from streams/rivers and springs (Hyde & Perry 12). Landscape planning Water adds a better view to the landscape especially from one’s home patio. A good design should be easily visible and match the surrounding landscape in shape and pattern. It should also be designed in a manner that the dam is seen before the spill way or the inlet pipes since when it looks natural, it is more attractive. The area around the pond should have vegetation to have a natural shaped edge. The edge of the pond should also look irregular for it to have a natural look. Types of Ponds Embankment Ponds This can also be called a watershed pond since it is served mainly by the watershed around it. It can only work in a rolling topography since it is built on depressions between two hills.They are dependent on rain runoff for their maintenance since that is their primary source of water. Their depth is however limited since a steep slope prevents the construction of a big pond and also makes the water shed draining in to it to be smaller. They are the cheapest ponds to build since excavation is very little and that is the most expensive part of construction. Excavated Ponds These ponds are almost completely underground and are always small in size due to the high quantity of earth that is moved. It may require an external source of water in case the natural sources are not sufficient. They are also the most expensive ponds to construct on cost per acre. Levee Ponds These are moderately excavated and are usually built on flat grounds. The excavated earth is used to build its sides to trap water. The water level is maintained by the walls or the outlet pipes. It may need external sources of water to replenish it in case there is no watershed. It has a moderate cost compared to the other ponds. Pond Design and Layout Technical Assistance To build a proper pond, a good plan and design is required. The size of a pond and its shape are crucial when designing it as well as the structures for controlling the water. The conservation body in each area may offer a free plan and design recommended for the area. Pond Sizing The size of a pond should be proportionate to the size of the watershed that contributes water. During dry conditions, ponds with small watersheds will find it hard to survive since the water will not be able to maintain its level and risks drying up. To prevent this, the pond should be deep enough to meet its required needs and still not over use the watershed (Hyde & Perry 13). Pond Construction Permit Requirements As is the normal regulation, the owner must get a permit before commencing any construction work since the relevant bodies must confirm that the owner has observed the best management practices when constructing the pond. Site Surveys and Layout Engineering surveys should help get information on the possible pond site. It should have emergency spill way, the shoreline for the pond should also be included. Soil test results should be included as well. Hiring a Contractor It is best advised that a person hire a qualified professional to do the work since it requires sophisticated equipment. One can obtain a list of contractors from local government offices. Consulting other people who have had ponds built to give references is good since they can help identify a good contractor (Hyde & Perry 14). Site preparation The person hired should have the area cleared of any vegetation, removal of stumps and any organic materials around the sites. It is recommended that these materials are burned and the ones that do not burn are buried in a location that does not affect the pond. Once the construction is complete, the pond needs maintenance. The lawns around should be kept neat regularly, trees not allowed to grow in the pond or in the spillway. Erosions around the pond should be repaired urgently. The pond should be checked regularly for leaks and fixed while aquatic weeds should be minimized. Works Cited Hyde, Chris, and Perry Oakes. Pond Building: A Guide to Planning, Constructing, and Maintaining Recreational Ponds. Alabama: UPS, 1998. Print. Read More