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Plant recommendations for Drainage Detendion area in 14 home Housing Development, Octover 15, 2016 #370128

Asked October 15, 2016, 2:04 AM EDT

Hello, my name is Terry Onufer, and I reside in Butler County. We are building a 1 level home, and I had a question Penn State Agricultural School/Staff may have been asked. We have been to the lot many times, the home is NOT completed, but we expect to move in late December or early January. Our lot is adjacent to the Drainage Detention holding area or pond. The house is aligned on the property on an East-West configuration, with the back yard and detention pond/ on the West side. We wanted the West in the back, because of the setting sun, and an small farm property that has horses. The unfortunate part is the Detention pond is between us and the farm. There are 14 homes in this plan, and ours is second from the last on the right. We missed the chance to buy the last lot on the right, so our choice was the second to last. Which left us with the pond. I have seen deer eating clover on the edges. MY QUESTION IS THIS; I WOULD LIKE TO PLANT OR INTRODUCE PLANTS TO THE DETENTION POND THAT WILL REDUCE THE VISUAL EYESORE OF THE HOLE IN THE GROUND, AND ALSO OFFER WILDLIFE HABITAT. DO YOU HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO WHAT KINDS OF PLANTS/TREES I COULD PLANT, OR WHAT MIX? THE SIZE OF THE POND I WOULD ESTIMATE IS 100 FEET BY 50 FEET, AN IS OVAL IN SHAPE. I would like to improve the visual appeal, and at the same time, offer some habitat and food for birds, deer and other animals. I am an archery hunter, and I love nature and animals. I think this would be a challenging and interesting project. IF I MAY CALL A STAFF MEMBER, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK BY PHONE, MY PHONE IS<personal data hidden>, AND E MAIL IS <personal data hidden> Thank you very much. Terry Onufer /

Butler County Pennsylvania

Expert Response

Hello Terry, Thank you for your question. It is admirable that you want to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your detention pond and provide wildlife habitat. However, are you the person responsible for the maintenance of this detention pond? PA law requires Butler County to enact ordinances for stormwater maintenance and if you are responsible for the detention pond there may be a maintenance agreement that identifies your specific legal obligation. Vegetation management is included in such agreements and you should plant wetland vegetative species. Here is a link to a guide for residents of Southeast Michigan that gives useful information about detention pond maintenance and about naturalizing your pond with native plants. The guide's plant list is useful as eastern Michigan has a similar plant hardiness zone to Butler County. I must stress that first it is important to establish that you can legally 'plant or introduce plants' to this particular detention pond. I hope this helps.
http://www.allianceofrougecommunities.com/PDFs/PI/detention%20pond%20manual%2081-2%20x%2011.pdf


An Ask Extension Expert Replied October 16, 2016, 2:09 PM EDT

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