A piece of heavy machinery parked in front of what used to be the pond behind the Gunder Myran building. The pond has been drained for maintenance. Debra Destefani | Washtenaw Voice
By Debra Destefani
Deputy Editor
A pond behind the Morris Lawrence building is currently a waterless, gaping hole after receiving routine maintenance earlier this year.
Technically a retention basin that manages stormwater, the pond helped prevent flooding of parking lots and water back-ups in WCC buildings — but over the years dirt and sediment buildup caused the pond to become more shallow.
The entire pond was drained and the silt and clay were removed, some of it used to patch depressed portions of land and holes in other areas of campus. A floating fountain and bubblers which are used to aerate the water will be installed to “make it more sustainable,” according to Craig Whipstock, associate vice president facilities development and operations.
The project is estimated to cost about $200,000. Dragline Works of Stockbridge was contracted to take care of the work. The company specializes in pond maintenance.
“It’s a routine thing. We have retention ponds and this happens about every 15 to 20 years and it’s a big project when you have to dig out a pond like that,” said Whipstock.
The retention pond is one of the few places on campus to have a sandy bottom, instead of the dense clay that is typical for the area. This creates more issues for the construction crew.
“In order to make the pond good, we’re going to bring in some clay and pack the bottom. You need the clay to hold the water,” said Whipstock.
As long as the weather cooperates, the project should be done within the next month. The pond will refill naturally as rainwater begins to collect again inside of it.
