New Storm Water Retention Pond Is Complete
To meet DOE commitments with the City of Newport News to slow down the velocity at which storm water leaves the site during and after rain events, Hudgin’s Construction Corp. constructed the Lab’s first storm water retention pond during the summer.
In late 2004, construction activities began on a 5 acre pond site due east of the EEL building. Due to the number of planned construction activities at Jefferson Lab at the time, as well as in the future, it was determined that this new pond would be necessary to account for the reduced local storm water retention that results from disturbances to the drainage area (a permanent best management practice). Construction of the pond as well as the storm channel widening is expected to aid in site drainage.
Massive development in the areas downstream of Jefferson Lab has seriously affected the ability of the local soils to absorb the increased flow. As forested lands, wetlands, and grasslands are cleared for development and subsequently paved, the ability of the ground to absorb surface water diminishes greatly. The surface water, therefore, has no where to go and as a result, there is a great increase in the amount of water running downstream. More pavement results in more runoff which means less water that has a chance to slowly percolate into the groundwater below as it is carried efficiently downstream and into the Chesapeake Bay.
This storm water retention pond, and future ponds constructed at the Lab, will allow Jefferson Lab to do its part to slow storm water flow to the pace of what it would have been before industrialization of the Jefferson Lab site took place.
This type of storm water retention pond is a modified dry type, meaning that it will almost always be dry. Unfortunately, it will not serve as a lunch time relaxation area or fishing spot. The pond is now fully functional.