DETENTION BASIN (POND)

Detention Basin as BMP and its design

And
Case Study on Detention Basin for water quality control in an arid
region.

- Rajeeb Singh (163042013)

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 PART-I (DESIGN MANUAL)
INTRODUCTION
Excavated areas or enhanced natural depressions
It detain or impede flows by storing runoff
Stored volume is released at a reduced rate later

Source: Pima County Regional Flood Control District Source: http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/36358.html

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Design Standards for Storm-water Detention and Retention
 TYPES
DRY DETENTION POND
Maximum storage, Reduce risk of flooding and streambank erosion
Attained by attenuating peak flows
Limited ability for permanent removal of pollutants since deposited
materials are often re-suspended by succeeding storms
Not recommended as a water quality improvement practice
WET DETENTION POND
Similar to dry pond except meant to store specific volume of storm water
for long period of time
Water quality treatment is additional benefit
Achieved through physical and biological processes
Cost effective and widely used
Larger than dry ponds since holds more water
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EXTENDED WET DETENTION POND
Storm facility designed to store runoff for extended period of time
Shallow marsh in combination with dry area or permanent pool with a dry
area
More effective in removing silts, clays, P and other pollutants due to
increased detention time
Requires smaller discharge, longer detention time and large storage in
contrast with wet detention

Source: http://www.stormwatercenter.net/Manual_Builder/pond_design_example.htm 4
BENEFITS OF DETENTION BASIN
Effective in storm water quality management structures
Can be used in conjunction with other water quality facilities to enhance
the pollutant removal capabilities
Compared to others, requires less land and achieves comparable level of
pollutant removal
Handle much larger volume of flow than other practices such as grassed
swales or infiltration structures because of its storage capacity
Additional- Requires less maintenance and less susceptible to failure than
infiltration practices

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 DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
Basin Depth and Freeboard Standards:
Min. free board = 6 inches
Basin should be below natural subgrade and 12 inches within basin designed
with an embankment
Basin should have min. of 1 sediment level measurement device
Device shall be located where sediments is likely to accumulate

Source: Pima County Regional Flood Control District

Design Standards for Storm-water Detention and Retention 6
Depth Provision:
100 year water depth shall not exceed 6 feet, unless approval
Storage time:
Time required for storm water to be removed from basin
Watershed up to 10 acres = 12 hrs. and > 10 acres = 24 hrs.
Storage time which exceed the times as specified are prohibited
Basin Floor:
Shall be graded to a min. slope = 0.5% to provide positive drainage to basin outlet
unless retention is provided
Floor can be hydro seeded
Min. size of rock (granite) on floor= 4 inches
dia. less than it is prohibited

Source: Pima County Regional Flood Control District

Design Standards for Storm-water Detention and Retention 7
Side slope specifications:
Illustrated in the table
For riprap side slopes: 50 of at least 6 inches with a blanket thickness of 2 times
50
Riprap: hard, durable angular stone in erosive environments, non-angular is
allowed in non-erosive environment
Unless grouted, min. 6 inches of riprap shall be underlain with filter fabric

Source: Pima County Regional Flood Control District Design Standards for Storm-water Detention and Retention
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Inlet Structures:
Capacity determined by methods accepted by Floodplain administrator
If pipes are used as an inlet, min. size = 12 inches
Shall have erosion protection, that should be extended below the finished grade of
floor or side slope to the desired depth
Unless grouted, rock riprap to be used underlain with filter fabric

Source: Pima County Regional Flood Control District Design Standards for Storm-water Detention and Retention 9
Outlet Structure standards:
Designed to ensure the exit flow is compatible with existing D/s drainage
conditions
Must be designed for 3 design storms (fig.)
Capacity to be determined by Floodplain Administrator
Outlets shall be erosion protective designed as per manual specifications
Unless grouted, rock riprap underlain with filter fabric. Min. of 2 feet into the
upslope end and around the riprap base towards downslope of blanket

Source: Pima County Regional Flood Control District Design Standards for Storm-water Detention and Retention 10
Embankment Standards:
Is side of a DB constructed above natural subgrade
If site constraints prevent a basin entirely below grade then embankment is allowed
Top width = 100 year ponding or 2 feet, whichever is greater
Freeboard = min. 1 foot
Compacted to at least 95% of standard proctor density
Min. of 6 inches of in-situ soil below the embankment be excavated prior to construction
Min. 4 feet setback from outer toes to project boundary to allow maintenance access
If designed for impoundment > 1 foot of water, then emergency spillway be provided

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Perimeter Wall
Designed as per specific design requirements
Should not block maintenance access
Not allowed on embankments
Underground Storage
Design should include underground storage location and emergency flow
conveyance
Should assure the foundation stability
In the event of blockage or failure of an underground storage emergency
conveyance is used
Provisions regarding Setbacks, Elevation requirements, Landscaping
Standards, Pumps standards, Dry well standards, and so forth are to be
designed and planned according to the manual

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 PART-II. Detention basins as Best Management Practices
Flood control DBs can act as water quality control structures or BMPs
Because of high-intensity, short duration rain spells urbanized arid regions
require the use of storm runoff quantity control structures
High intensity rainfall results in flooding because of low drainage capacity of
desert soils
In 1960s storm water detention structures were introduced to manage flood in
arid regions
DBs can act as a end pipe BMP for water quality control if medially placed
between a receiving water body and an urban or undeveloped area
Sedimentation is primary pollutant removal mechanism by DBs

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 During detention time TSS and associated pollutants such as P settle out
Sedimentation, if enhanced, can allow DBs to act as efficient BMP for P and
sediment removal
Detention time and influent conc. Play vital role in determining DBs effect as BMP
Most study conducted on DB pollutant mitigation were either theoretical or
done in wet climates. No much study for arid regions, this research covers
the arid regions
Copious P either natural or manmade decreases the DO and eutrophication,
resulting in losses in biodiversity of receiving water body
Main purpose of the study is to determine whether DB in arid region to act
as BMPs by understanding P and sediments accumulation in DBs for a
single rain event

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STUDY SITES
All study sites were located in Clark Country in the Las Vegas Valley watershed
varying in different levels of development
Total of 6 DBs were assessed for its main structural and non-structural
characteristics, including surrounding land use, inlets, outlets and channels

Source: Amina R. LODHI, Kumud ACHARYA, Detention basin as best management practices for water quality control in an arid region, water
science and Engineering. 2014, 7(2): 155-167 doi:10.3882/j.issn.1674-2370.2014.02.004. 15
 Sample collection.
Five samples from each outlet was
composited
Preparation and extraction of P was
done within 24 hrs.
Sediment samples were collected
before and after a rainfall event
occurred in Dec 2010
P measurements were conducted for
all 6 DBs to determine the variation
due to land use differences

Map of Las Vegas Valley watershed with washes, sub-

watersheds, and detention basin sites.
Source: Amina R. LODHI, Kumud ACHARYA, Detention basin as best management practices for water quality control in an arid region, water
science and Engineering. 2014, 7(2): 155-167 doi:10.3882/j.issn.1674-2370.2014.02.004.

16
Runoff calculation:
For runoff calculation curve number method was used
CN is coefficient that reflects reduction of discharge from total amount of rainfall
after considering potential evaporation, absorption, transpiration and surface
storage
( )2
Q=
+
Where Q is runoff (cm), P is rainfall in cm, S is potential maximum soil moisture
1000
retention after runoff generation (cm), where S = -10, with CN defined as the

curve number, and is the initial abstraction or the amount of water retained by the
surface before runoff generation (cm) and given by = 0.2S
Precipitation data for calculation were gathered for a 24-hour period on the day
before the sample collection

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RESULTS and DISCUSSIONS:
The average pre and post rain sediment P concentrations for all particles size of
each DB were significantly different with post having higher concentration
On average pre rain samples contained 600 ppm of P while post rain contained
750 ppm, with an increase of 150 ppm
This change in P concentrations within DB after rain event reveals the effect of DB
in setting out sediments and associated pollutants
This deduction is important with respect to P removal since it has negative
impacts in water body
It was observed that most of the P discharged into the DBs that were located in
less-developed parts of the watershed

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 By analyzing the land use type with P contribution 69% of the P came from DBs
located in the less developed regions of watershed, and remaining from medium to
well developed
A log linear correlation (2 = 0.74) was found between the particle size and mean P
conc. For all six DBs . Study shows finest particles have the highest conc. Of
pollutants
Fine particles have large surface area (w.r. to same volume). Therefore, the total
pollutant(P) load is smaller in larger particles as compared to smaller particles

Source: Amina R. LODHI, Kumud ACHARYA, Detention basin as best management practices for water quality control in an arid region, water
science and Engineering. 2014, 7(2): 155-167 doi:10.3882/j.issn.1674-2370.2014.02.004.
19
CONCLUSIONS:
1. P concentration was higher in Post rain than Pre rain in DBs
2. With respect to land use P was highest in the less developed area
3. DBs can be used as BMPs not only to control storm water runoff but also to
improve quality by allowing suspended particles that carry contaminants such as
P to settle out
4. DBs work especially well for water quality control when are surrounded by
undeveloped areas
5. This research establish a guideline for DB and BMP related research in arid
region
6. Water quality remains an unexplored area of DB utility, particularly in arid
regions, this research provides a step in that direction
7. Research Gap: Further works needs to address how much P might go through
the DB without being deposited

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REFERENCES
Pima Country Regional Flood Control District, Design Standards for Storm-
water Detention and Retention.
(https://webcms.pima.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6/File/Government/Flood%20Control/Rules%20a
nd%20Procedures/Stormwater%20Detention-Retention/dssdr-final-201406-manual.pdf)
Amina R. LODHI, Kumud ACHARYA, Detention basin as best
management practices for water quality control in an arid region, water
science and Engineering. 2014, 7(2): 155-167 doi:10.3882/j.issn.1674-
2370.2014.02.004.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674237015302763)
Wisconsin Storm-water Manual: Wet Detention Basins (G-3691-4)
(http://learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/g3691-4.pdf)

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