Assessment of a countywide stormwater pond improvement program

Abstract

Numerous approaches have been advocated to improve pollutant removal in stormwater retention and detention ponds. The Hillsborough County (FL) Adopt-A-Pond program is one such application. However, ex post evaluation of these approaches is particularly limited. Water quality and vegetative characteristics were assessed at participating Adopt-A-Pond sites to explore potential impacts of the program on measurable environmental parameters. Statistical analysis of the results failed to demonstrate significant environmental improvements associated with the Adopt-A-Pond program, and measures of program activity did not illustrate a consistently positive influence. These results illustrate the need for ex post evaluations and indicate a general need to readdress the policies and implementation of the program. Poor compliance by program volunteers, evident by the limited span of group participation (mean = 2.5 years) and relatively low percentage of actively involved residents, is a possible culprit, as the efficacy of pond enhancement techniques is firmly established in the literature.

Keywords::

• nonpoint source pollution
• stormwater runoff
• environmental education
• urban water quality
• stormwater management

Acknowledgements

We extend very special thanks to Mr. John McGee from Hillsborough County Environmental Services, Dr. Philip Reeder, Dr. Connie Mizak, Dr. Mark Hafen, Cora Bartolo, Kimberly Curtin, Shawna Feinman, Dr. Maya Trotz from the University of South Florida, the Hillsborough County Adopt-a-Pond program, and the University of South Florida Department of Geography, Environment, and Planning. We also would like to thank the editorial staff of the Urban Water Journal and the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions to improve this publication.