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Stormwater
Stormwater Pond Benefits Brochure (PDF)
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SolarBee
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Applications
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Storm water retention ponds are becoming
common features in urban and new
development areas for irrigation water,
recreation, flood control, and overall
watershed management. Relatively small,
typically under about 25 acres (10
hectares), these basins are used to capture
and store run off water drained from city
streets and development complexes.
These waters tend to be high in algal
nutrients, organic matter, inorganic turbidity,
and anything else that gets washed in.
Because of high nutrient loading, these
ponds frequently experience noxious and
odorous blue-green algae blooms. The
toxic nature of many blue-green algae also
make them inedible for zooplankton and
fish, so food chain dynamics is often poor
in these ponds.
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Freshwater
Wastewater
Potable Water
Storm water
Industrial
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Models
Case Studies
Video
Science
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SolarBees have been installed in storm water ponds for the primary purpose of blue-green algae
bloom control to prevent unsightly and smelly pond scum. The elimination of stagnation and
noxious algal blooms via SolarBee circulation allows edible, non-blue-green algae to grow, and
the grazing of these edible algae typically increases water clarity to double or triple compared with
previous years. Correspondingly, there is improved dissolved oxygen distribution through the
water column, as well as noticeable fisheries improvement with recruitment, vigor and lack of
seasonal fish kills. There have also been reported a number of additional benefits with this upper
water (epilimnetic) circulation, including mosquito inhibition due to reduced surface tension
making it difficult for mosquito larvae to survive. Furthermore, there is strong empirical and
scientific support that, even with improved water clarity, the growth and survival of several types of
invasive aquatic weeds are negatively impacted by sediment oxidation promoted by the return
flow back to the SolarBee. This same sediment oxidation also promotes organic muck reduction
and near-shore sediment compaction. And finally, maintaining a healthier lake ecosystem
through enhanced circulation powered only by the sun, and without having to poison the lake with
toxic chemicals, can provide significant and sustainable economic benefits through chemical
savings and energy savings.
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