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Retention pond wildlife protection. #867638
Asked May 08, 2024, 5:24 PM EDT
Summit County Ohio
Expert Response
Hello,
Thank you for your question.
Since a retention pond is man-made, it is not considered a wetland. A retention pond is built to collect stormwater run-off. The sides of a pond are often relatively steep and do not slope gently like a wetland.
This is a link to the EPA definition of a wetland. https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/what-wetland#:~:text=Wetlands%20are%20areas%20where%20water,including%20during%20the%20growing%20season. Within this article are additional links that might be of interest.
Also, since retention ponds are not aerated, they frequently become stagnant resulting in excessive growth of algae. Your HOA likely added an aquatic dye to the water to reduce the amount of light entering the water. Less light means less photosynthesis and therefore fewer algae since algae are plants. The link to the article from Michigan State, suggests that the dyes are similar to food dyes and do not harm wildlife. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/using_aquatic_dyes_in_ponds
I hope this information was useful.
Sabine