by Richard McGuiness
November 20, 2002

Richard McGuiness has contributed the following thoughts on recharge ponds:

I have really only begun researching recharge ponds but I know several interesting things to think about. They are part of water codes for the state and federal water management as Best Management Practices for USDA/USDI. These laws mandate rainfall capture and infiltration for municipalities and public agencies. They are often ignored in favor of the more common "drainage Project", where runoff is led off the scene as rapidly as possible. The result is low water tables and early drying of headwater springs and eventually creek or stream flows stopping in the dry season. I think with some research and contacts in agencies and engineers, a wholesale retention pond program would greatly benefit the natural community. There are some man made retention ponds around [an older] house put in by old timber operators. (They often are covered in pennyroyal during the summer.) These ponds do not provide water sources for irrigation or fire prevention directly, but by creating lush areas around springs and keeping riparian areas wet humidity goes up, winds are reduced, streams become fire breaks and the general fire picture is improved.

Good sources of information for direct questions at: waterforum@yahoogroups.com, put together by the International Erosion Control Association (ICEA). They also have a magazine- Erosion Control, mostly for large projects but fascinating anyway. This months editorial is "TMDL's Revisited" and it has a fine article on road removal and riparian rehab at Standish -Hickey State Park, and a monthly bioengineering column.

Another concept is instream subsurface dams or beaver type dams. Dan Carter of Superior Dams in Arcata forwarded me some material about collapsible water filled bag dams for water retention in streams in summer, which can be deflated for open flow in the winter.



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Table of Contents for Mattole Restoration Newsletter, Issue 19 - Winter/Spring 2002-03