Storm water Management Ponds (HOA, how much, landscaping)

[retiree2011]

My HOA has 6 ponds, 3 wet and 3 dry and all eventually drain to a natural body of water. The company that maintains the ponds cut down the reeds and cat-tails during nesting season last summer, destroying the red-wing blackbirds’ nests and early this Spring again mowed everything down and threw Round-up down around the pond edges and also their workers were throwing handfuls of some substance in the water in the ponds. Now everything is dead and brown, not a hint of vegetation and as I walk around the ponds, no birds, insects or frogs can be seen or heard. I questioned this when one of their employees came to explain what they were doing and I was told the vegetation is “dormant”. To me everything looks dead. On the other side of the street is a natural wetland which was not treated with Round-up and birds are in there and I have heard Spring Peepers (frogs) for the last few weeks.

How are ponds managed in other HOA’s in the area? What are the feelings about Round-up? I have only heard negative things about it.

[L00k4ward]

Originally Posted by retiree2011

My HOA has 6 ponds, 3 wet and 3 dry and all eventually drain to a natural body of water. The company that maintains the ponds cut down the reeds and cat-tails during nesting season last summer, destroying the red-wing blackbirds’ nests and early this Spring again mowed everything down and threw Round-up down around the pond edges and also their workers were throwing handfuls of some substance in the water in the ponds. Now everything is dead and brown, not a hint of vegetation and as I walk around the ponds, no birds, insects or frogs can be seen or heard. I questioned this when one of their employees came to explain what they were doing and I was told the vegetation is “dormant”. To me everything looks dead. On the other side of the street is a natural wetland which was not treated with Round-up and birds are in there and I have heard Spring Peepers (frogs) for the last few weeks.

How are ponds managed in other HOA’s in the area? What are the feelings about Round-up? I have only heard negative things about it.

Check and raise your concerns with the department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
There are phone numbers for questions and complaints on the first page.

https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/

Not sure where you are - CT or Delaware?

Pesticides applications are usually strictly regulated by the states.

The person has to have a pesticide application license - which must be renewed with the additional education hours.

Roundup is not allowed to use near water - are you sure it was Round up?

There are only very specific herbicides allowed near a body of water which won’t harm wildlife and aquatic life.

Start with your HOA and their contract with the landscaping company.
Check the designation of the ponds and the watershed.

The landscaping company and/or HOA could be fined if in violation?
Ask questions and find out why and what was applied first.

[North Beach Person]

Cattails are usually recommended to be removed from management ponds because they imped what the pond is supposed to do.

As for the other things like general spraying, that's unusual. In Maryland the landscaping company as well as the HOA would be on the hook to pay for remediation if it's found to be a violation.

[nuts2uiam]

We have three ponds in my community and there is always a difference of opinion regarding just how much vegetation should or should not be in it and what they should look like.

The HOA sent this article around about the ponds.

https://documents.dnrec.delaware.gov...0Practices.pdf

IF you have any concerns, I would express my concerns to the board and see what they say. If they are not growing and being maintained as they should be, the board should contact the pond management company themselves, and ask what is going on. Speaking for my own community, pond maintenance is a requirement and one of our largest expenses, and probably a pretty big one for your community too, as such you have every right to discuss these concerns.

NREC ahs a lot of info in this regard and the tough part for my community is that there is a fine line between maintaining it ecologically properly and what the individual neighbors like or not like.

[retiree2011]

Originally Posted by L00k4ward

Check and raise your concerns with the department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
There are phone numbers for questions and complaints on the first page.

https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/

Not sure where you are - CT or Delaware?

Pesticides applications are usually strictly regulated by the states.

The person has to have a pesticide application license - which must be renewed with the additional education hours.

Roundup is not allowed to use near water - are you sure it was Round up?

There are only very specific herbicides allowed near a body of water which won’t harm wildlife and aquatic life.

Start with your HOA and their contract with the landscaping company.
Check the designation of the ponds and the watershed.

The landscaping company and/or HOA could be fined if in violation?
Ask questions and find out why and what was applied first.

I am in Kent County. Yes, Round-up was used. Their employee passed around a sheet showing what was used, but he kept the sheet. Another employee is coming next week and a few concerned neighbors will take a “pond walk” with her. Thanks for your input.

[retiree2011]

Originally Posted by nuts2uiam

We have three ponds in my community and there is always a difference of opinion regarding just how much vegetation should or should not be in it and what they should look like.

The HOA sent this article around about the ponds.

https://documents.dnrec.delaware.gov...0Practices.pdf

IF you have any concerns, I would express my concerns to the board and see what they say. If they are not growing and being maintained as they should be, the board should contact the pond management company themselves, and ask what is going on. Speaking for my own community, pond maintenance is a requirement and one of our largest expenses, and probably a pretty big one for your community too, as such you have every right to discuss these concerns.

NREC ahs a lot of info in this regard and the tough part for my community is that there is a fine line between maintaining it ecologically properly and what the individual neighbors like or not like.

Thanks for the input. Yes, there are people here who want no vegetation so they can “see the fountain”. Last summer I was near the pond and there were goldfinches and butterflies, wild flowers and it was beautiful. The next day it was mowed down and some neighbors said “that looks good - it should be kept mowed like that all the time”. Our landscapers mow up to the “buffer zone” - the pond management company mows the buffer zone. Now there is no buffer zone - just dead brown remnants of vegetation.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by retiree2011

Thanks for the input. Yes, there are people here who want no vegetation so they can “see the fountain”. Last summer I was near the pond and there were goldfinches and butterflies, wild flowers and it was beautiful. The next day it was mowed down and some neighbors said “that looks good - it should be kept mowed like that all the time”. Our landscapers mow up to the “buffer zone” - the pond management company mows the buffer zone. Now there is no buffer zone - just dead brown remnants of vegetation.

Yeah. At least those neighbors didn't go out at night and destroy the weir at the outflow like at one HOA here. They're still trying to get that fixed after over 15 years. The laws changed and they now have to bring it up to current standards. They're looking at a $200K repair bill not to mention fines.

And the kicker is that the residents who did the destruction are long gone.

[luv4horses]

If you want ticks and mosquitoes, make sure to leave the pond vegetation alone. Stagnant water with low oxygen is a great breeding zone.

Experts on ponds generally know what they are doing. Pesticides are highly researched and regulated as to how they can be used. This isn’t the old days when they only had crude methods available.

[retiree2011]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Yeah. At least those neighbors didn't go out at night and destroy the weir at the outflow like at one HOA here. They're still trying to get that fixed after over 15 years. The laws changed and they now have to bring it up to current standards. They're looking at a $200K repair bill not to mention fines.

And the kicker is that the residents who did the destruction are long gone.

Yes, no one here has interfered with the ponds. In fact I am one of the few only people who even go near the ponds. I used to take photos, especially at sunset but no longer do so, since they don’t look so nice now. Most residents here just sit on their porches and look at the ponds. At least snakes won’t scare me coming out of the tall vegetation since there is nothing alive there now.

[rdlr]

I've work with various Realtors, in my business. You'd be surprised at the number of "would-be" buyers asking their Realtor: "What do you have in _______area, with no HOA and Pond(s)". It appears that those, so called, amenities, may be losing their appeal. I can see why.