Willow Tree HOA Pond Restoration in South Carolina

The developer converted this two-acre embankment farm pond built 50+ years ago into a storm water pond for a neighborhood consisting of over 75 single family residences.  Before the community was built out the developer went bankrupt leaving the homeowner’s association on their own and without guidance.  Without an integrated pond management plan and with increased nutrient filled stormwater runoff, the pond became overgrown with aquatic plants.  In addition, a family of beavers moved into the pond damming up the spillways and forcing water over the emergency overflow, a dangerous situation.  The homeowner’s association reached out to Aqueous Environmental for help and answers. 

Aqueous Environmental immediately addressed the safety concerns and nuisance wildlife issues.  To date we have:

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• Installed a pond siphon to lower and maintain the water elevation to a safe level

• Cleared the emergency overflow spillway of trees and woody debris returning it to its designed condition

• Trapped and removed the beavers through an approved SCDNR wildlife control operator

Aqueous Environmental is currently working with the homeowner’s association and those in the community to develop a comprehensive pond restoration plan based on their vision and goals for the pond, a common use neighborhood property. 

This project emphasizes the need to have an integrated management plan for your pond and stormwater practices to ensure maintenance activities are being performed regularly.  If neglected for only a few years, ponds can easily get unbalanced and overgrown requiring comprehensive and costly restoration efforts.