A pond or a lake on personal property can be a key feature of the land. It can add beauty to the grounds, and can be a major source of value for the property. These lakes and ponds are usually features that also help collect and manage stormwater. This can prevent floods and excess runoff from nearby roads.
Because a stagnant body of water can be a threat to public health, the government requires an inspection each year or every other year to make sure they are up to government and EPA standards.
Maintenance is required to ensure that the pond or lake is running smoothly. Standing bodies of water have to be taken care of to remain effective and clean. The government can issue a citation for:
These fines can be hefty, which means that it is almost always cheaper to simply stay on top of maintenance and meeting requirements set forth by the EPA.
Bathymetry surveys are one of the best ways to assess these bodies of water. This can help with a few key things:
A bathymetry survey is an imaging survey that helps determine several things about the body of water through hydro-acoustic techniques. This produces maps that can tell key specifications and information about the makeup of the water.
This can reveal how much sediment is in the water, where it is, and how much pond dredging is needed. It can also determine the chemistry of the pond.
While the body of water will determine the survey’s specifics, there is a general process we follow.A boat or kayak moves slowly across the water with the surveying equipment mounted onboard. The employee will typically move in a grid pattern, covering about 10 acres in a given day.
Simply put, the report is the interpreted and processed results of the survey. It consists of:
Every customer and body of water will have different needs, but typically 5 year for a small pond or lake is a good rule of thumb. This will help landowners stay on top of sediment buildups as well as other problems that may arise.
Some retention ponds will have more rapid changes to the sediment levels due to consistent and heavy runoff. This can mean a survey is needed more often, approximately every year or two. Furthermore, major storms like hurricanes may cause huge changes to the water, which can mean that a new survey is required.
Estate Management Services can service these ponds and lakes and perform surveys as needed. We are experienced with bathymetry and can easily determine how best to approach the challenges of your property.Based out of Georgia, our company services states across the South including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri.
If you are interested in a free site visit for an in-depth waterway survey from Estate Management Services, please call 1-888-307-6637.