Huntsdale Subdivision Basin Retrofit

What Is a Retrofit?

Think of a retrofit as an environmental overhaul. The goal is to change the characteristics of the retention basin to make the area more environmentally-friendly. In this case, our goal is to remove silt and trash, increase oxygen for aquatic life, and create biofilters that are made of native plants and soil to infiltrate runoff and remove pollutants before it gets the creek.

You may ask yourself, "Why should we worry about the water quality of the retention basin?"  Simply put, all water draining form our yards and streets has an impact on the quality of our streams, lakes, rivers, and drinking water.  Water quality is important to humans and wildlife because the unwanted substances that make their way into our water can have an exponential impact on our drinking water, habitats, and even our taxes. 

The Plan

Over the last decade, a buildup of silt has caused the Huntsdale basin to lose the majority of its intended nine-foot depth. Higher water temperatures and nutrients from fertilizers in runoff lowered the oxygen, caused excessive algae and killed fish. This project returns the basin to its original depth. Improvements to the shoreline and surrounding common ground area with native plants will help filter pollutants, make better habitat for wildlife, and reduce the presence of unwanted insects caused by stagnant shallow water.

Project Progress

• Dredging activities are complete.  Basin boulder work and bioretention installation will continue through November. 

• The design-build team finalized engineering plans, construction budget and landscape drawings. 

• Property owners and the LanDesign, LLC design-build team met in March to review conceptual design elements and options. 

Before and After