Canals & Retention Ponds in WDW

[Cmdr_Crimson]

So I have seen that during construction of areas they drain out canals or re-route them...But, what are their importance within a theme park or other areas that aren't normally used for boat transportation? Also what do the Retention Ponds do for the resort as well?

 

[Smiley/OCD]

So I have seen that during construction of areas they drain out canals or re-route them...But, what are their importance within a theme park or other areas that are normally used for boat transportation? Also what do the Retention Ponds do for the resort as well?

I would imagine that just like on any other construction site, the retention basins are used to collect excessive run-off water. usually the water is "directed" into the basins from other areas close by...we all know how high the water table is in Florida, so I would think that's their purpose....whether they become permanent or temporary is another story...just my 2 cents...lol

 

[sxeensweet]

I would imagine that just like on any other construction site, the retention basins are used to collect excessive run-off water. usually the water is "directed" into the basins from other areas close by...we all know how high the water table is in Florida, so I would think that's their purpose....whether they become permanent or temporary is another story...just my 2 cents...lol

Yep we have to have them at all construction areas in south Louisiana too but are usually temporary but some are permanent. It's a Law to have to have retention ponds etc while doing construction. I'm sure it's the same in Florida and many other states.

 

[MaryJaneP]

What smiley says above. Not being experts ourselves, we would guess the "brief" downpour rainstorm water has to go somewhere.

 

[flynnibus]

So I have seen that during construction of areas they drain out canals or re-route them...But, what are their importance within a theme park or other areas that aren't normally used for boat transportation? Also what do the Retention Ponds do for the resort as well?

When you take away the ability for the ground to absorb water... you have to manage the runoff you generate and replace that type of water retention capacity.

When Disney drained areas that was naturally water logged... you need to manage that water that is normally trying to soak that area you just cleared.

 

[danlb_2000]

So I have seen that during construction of areas they drain out canals or re-route them...But, what are their importance within a theme park or other areas that aren't normally used for boat transportation? Also what do the Retention Ponds do for the resort as well?

As other have said, it's all about rain water control. When rain falls on a parking lot for example, it goes down the storm drains and into a canal. Under extreme storm conditions it's possible that the canal cannot carry the water away fast enough and would start to overflow, so they add ponds that act as a buffer, filling up with water during the storm and then draining after the storm ends.

If you take a look at the South Florida Water Management district permits you can see all the calculations and simulations that are done when it comes to storm water control. For example here is the engineering report for the DHS expansion project (SWL, TSL and the new parking lots).

http://my.sfwmd.gov/entsb/docdownload?object_id=0900eeea88b1fbec

 

[flynnibus]

edit: holy cow apple's predictive text really slaughters my posts. Ugh

 

[Phonedave]

I don't know if this is the case in Florida or not, but many areas are also now more sensitive to aquifier recharge. When storm water runs off of a impervious surface (a parking lot or a building for example) and it goes into the storm water system, it eventually finds its way into a river, where it then flows out to the ocean, without much soaking back into the soil. If you have an area that has a lot of wells, and has a lot of impervious surfaces, the underlying aquifier may not get recharged fast enough (and then you get the double whammy of both no water and sinkholes). Some jurisdictions only allow so much water to run off of impervious surfaces, the rest must be retained in some way (ponds, dry wells, or an other solution) and allowed to percolate back into the ground.

The town I live in in Northern NJ is mostly wells. Either private wells, or even for those of us on the municipal water supply, the water comes from municipal wells. We have strict building codes about how much of your property can be covered by impervious surfaces. If you go over a certain percentage, you have to construction a storm water retention system.


-dave