Aug

08

2015

From The Blog

Infrastructure Maintenance Continues with Pond Excavations This Fall

One of Kiawah’s greatest natural assets is its abundance and variety of lakes and ponds. In total, KICA manages 115 lakes and ponds covering approximately 342acres of water surface. But did you know these ponds are all connected by miles of drainage pipes and that the ponds, through their interconnectivity, serve as  the storm water storage system for the island in the event of a large storm?

The drainage system requires periodic maintenance to ensure maximum functionality. So, beginning this fall, KICA will undertake a project to excavate areas at the pipe connections around 10 of the island’s key ponds in order to improve drainage flow. These ponds are:

  • Pond 8 (between the West Beach pool and Fairway Oaks Villas)
  •  Pond 19 (Eugenia Avenue at Surfwatch Road)
  •  Pond 24 (between Surfwatch and Low Oak Woods roads)
  •  Pond 29 (around Night Heron Cottages)
  •  Pond 33 (Night Heron Park)
  •  Pond 34 (Night Heron Park/Windswept/Parkside Villas)
  •  Pond 40 (Turtle Point Golf Club/Glen Eagle)
  • Pond 45 (between Berkshire Hall and Cotton Hall)
  •  Pond 51 (between Cotton Hall and Pleasant Valley)
  •  Pond 53 (between Fletcher Hall and Pleasant Valley).

Unlike pond 32 at Turtle Beach Lane several years ago, these ponds will not need to be drained because this work will not be a full excavation. There may be some temporarily increased noise and activity in these areas during work periods. Please watch weekly e-news for scheduling information.

Retention Pond Services, Inc. will perform the work, under the direction of KICA’s Director of Major Repairs Will Connor. The project, which will cost $147,350, is expected to take two to three
weeks and should not cause significant inconvenience for residents.

Because KICA ponds are considered state waters, work had to be permitted by both the OCRM (Ocean and Coastal Resource Management) and the US Army Corps of Engineers.

“Drainage is hidden. No one thinks about it,” commented KICA Director of Operations Shannon White. “We all celebrate when roads are paved or boardwalks are replaced, because these repairs are highly visible. However, drainage is one of the most significant and costly components of our infrastructure. In the event of a major storm, we need this infrastructure operating at top capacity. KICA has over $1 million in budgeted expenses this year to repair or improve our drainage infrastructure. KICA’s sound fiscal practices and effective management of funds allows us to forecast and schedule major maintenance projects. We do this through infrastructure inspections, comprehensive asset and reserve studies and professional staff expertise.”

For more information on current and upcoming island projects, visit kica.us/projects.

Article contributed by Digest Member Volunteer Jinnie Chapel.