Division of Soil and Water Conservation

Several agencies within Delaware including Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), the Kent Conservation District, the Office of Management and Budget’s Division of Facilities Management, and the City of Dover joined together recently to complete upgrades to the stormwater pond at the Delaware Archives building in historic Dover.  

“This project is a perfect example of how all levels of government can work together to clean up the environment during these difficult financial times,” said DNREC Secretary Collin O'Mara. “None of our respective agencies could have completed the project alone, yet together we upgraded a stormwater pond that will naturally improve water quality in the St. Jones.”

For decades, stormwater ponds have been providing a means to treat and manage stormwater, water that runs over roads and parking lots carrying pollutants such as oil and sediment. The Kent Conservation District, which was hired to complete the construction work, spent about one month converting the poorly functioning stormwater quality management pond into a bioretention facility, a newer technology in stormwater management. 

The original stormwater pond on the Archives property exhibited signs of aging including failing structural components. Severe erosion at the pond discharge point was also contributing sediment, which can be harmful to fish and other aquatic life, directly into the St. Jones River. The pond retrofit will improve the quality of stormwater runoff entering the river from the parking lot.

Bioretention is a newer technology that removes more pollutants than traditional pond approaches to stormwater management. While the use of stormwater ponds is still an acceptable and widely-used method of treating and managing stormwater, this newer technology not only removes more pollutants, but also provides for less runoff while blending into the landscape.

In fact, bioretention facilities are oftentimes mistaken for landscape islands, as they are planted with small shrubs, grasses, and sometimes even colorful flowers.  The stormwater is directed to the bioretention facility, a depression filled with a special soil media. The soil mixture acts to remove pollutants and infiltrate water, resulting in less runoff into our streams. Ultimately, bioretention is designed to mimic natural hydrology.

Coordinated by Beth Krumrine, an environmental scientist with DNREC’s Sediment and Stormwater program, this project began more than three years ago when DNREC’s Nonpoint Source program granted approximately $40,000 in Environmental Protection Agency funds, plus an additional $10,000 in other funds, to the project. This funding was granted in order to implement new technology from older or non-functional systems, a practice also known as retrofitting. 

Although many sites in both Sussex and Kent counties were considered, the Delaware Archives pond had the most suitable site conditions requiring the least engineering modifications. Also considered was the strategic location of this site, which is near both Legislative Mall and historic downtown Dover, where many passers-by could view the educational signage and see the project.

Once the site was selected, the planning process and the teamwork began. All planning and engineering for the project was completed by staff from DNREC’s Sediment and Stormwater Program. 

Staff from DNREC’s Drainage program performed all survey work, and worked closely with DNREC’s Wetland and Subaqueous Lands Section and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to assist with all wetland permitting issues. Assistance in obtaining permits for water extraction during certain phases of construction was provided by DNREC’s Water Allocation Branch.

As property owner, the Division of Facilities Management was instrumental in working with DNREC staff to authorize the project, acquire permits, comment on engineering plans, and provide input on plant selection for the plantings within the new facility. They also provided other resources during construction and will be providing assistance with the plantings. 

The City of Dover provided a disposal area for the excavated fill dirt in addition to information on the underlying sewer lines. ACF Environmental, a local distributor for erosion control products, also joined in by donating a Siltsack® to protect the storm drain from sediment. And finally, the Kent Conservation District constructed the project.  

“This was not the usual type of project for our Equipment Program,” said Timothy Riley, District Coordinator for the Kent Conservation District.  “However, we saw this project as an opportunity to expand the technical expertise of our equipment staff and we appreciated the confidence placed in us when DNREC hired the District.” 

Mr. Riley went on to say that at one point in the project, they brought in a fellow district employee from the Sussex Conservation District to get the benefit of his knowledge and experience with pipe work.  “It is this sort of collaboration that helps get these projects on the ground,” said Riley.

In the future, be sure to stop by the Delaware Archives building and check out the new bioretention facility at the back parking area adjacent to the St. Jones River. Later this fall, look for the native plantings within the facility, educational signage, and surrounding tree plantings.