Waterstone contains a stormwater system to manage rainfall runoff that includes (4) retention ponds.
Our ponds are stocked with Grass Carp and Tilapia which help to clear the ponds of invasive aquatic weeds and algae. Catch and release fishing in our ponds is permitted.
Below is an explanation of what a stormwater system is and how it operates.
A stormwater system is a tool for managing the runoff from rainfall. When rainwater lands on rooftops, streets, driveways and other surfaces that water cannot go through, the runoff (called stormwater runoff) flows into grates, swales or ditches located around our neighborhood. These send the water into our stormwater ponds.
A stormwater pond is specifically designed to help prevent flooding and remove pollutants from the water before it can drain into the groundwater — our main source of drinking water — or into lakes, wetlands, or estuaries. Without a stormwater system, the stormwater runoff would flow into the nearest water body without treatment. The runoff carries pollutants such as litter, motor oil, gasoline, fertilizers, pesticides, pet wastes, sediments and anything else that can float, dissolve or be swept away by moving water.
Stormwater systems come in a variety of shapes, sizes and forms, but basically there are two types, retention and detention.
A retention system is designed to allow water to seep through soil into the shallow groundwater aquifer. A system can be constructed or it can be a natural depression. Grass stabilizes basin slopes and filters sediments. Retention systems are constructed so that stormwater percolates into the ground without direct discharge to natural surface water bodies.
In Florida, the responsibility for permitting most stormwater systems rests with the water management districts. After developers complete construction of permitted systems in residential areas, the permit and the legal responsibility for maintaining these systems are typically passed on to a homeowners, condominium owners or property owners association.
Aquascaping or littoral planting is a method of landscaping the shoreline of ponds with aquatic and wetland plants. Aquascaped ponds and lakes have fewer problems than those without aquascaping. Desirable vegetation filters polluted runoff, traps sediments, controls the growth of nuisance vegetation and helps make the pond visually pleasing. Aquatic plants pump oxygen into the water and create habitats by providing cover and nurseries for fish and other organisms. More importantly, vegetated shorelines help improve water quality.
