Seneca Park Stormwater Pond Retrofit

Seneca Park Pond is located on Montgomery County Parks property in the Great Seneca Creek Stream Valley Park. The pond receives stormwater from 17 acres including the Seneca Park townhome community and associated impervious area such as roads, parking areas and sidewalks. This pond was accepted into the County’s stormwater facility maintenance program in 2005. The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is responsible for structural maintenance and MC Parks is responsible for non-structural maintenance such as mowing and trash removal.

DEP determined that Seneca Park Pond is well suited for a retrofit project that will improve water quality treatment. The project will convert the pond from dry to wet so there will be a permanent pool of water in the pond between storms. Wet ponds provide better water quality treatment than dry ponds. Trees, shrubs and meadow seed will be planted on the side slopes of the pond and aquatic plants will be planted around the perimeter at the water’s edge to provide enhanced habitat. All the benefits of a dry pond, such as flood management and protection of stream channels downstream of the pond will continue to be provided by the wet pond. Additionally, the retrofit project will help the County meet requirements in the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit.

Pre-construction pictures of the project