CASE STUDY

WESTON LAKEFRONT

Cary Business Development Converts Non-Functioning Bioretention Pond

The Weston Lakefront project is a business development located in Cary, North Carolina. Once complete, the development will be comprised of three state of the art buildings. The property is on over 20 acres and overlooks beautiful Lake Crabtree. The development provides many outdoor amenities for employees, including an outdoor amphitheater and walking trails.

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The property contained a bioretention pond, which was located at the base of the amphitheater. A functioning bioretention pond filters stormwater runoff and complies with local regulations. Unfortunately, the bioretention pond on the Weston Lakefront development campus was non-functioning. The bioretention pond did not drain properly and was a mosquito-infested swamp. It was also non-compliant with town codes and subject to fines.

Dragonfly Pond Works assessed the situation and immediately identified several unique challenges. The typical solution would call for the reconstruction of the bioretention. This process is costly, as all soil in the pond is replaced with clean soil. We determined the best solution would be to convert this non- functioning system into an aesthetically pleasing constructed wetland. This plan eliminated the need for major earth moving while allowing us to minimize impact to the property.

The site of the wetland conversion.

The crew grades the future wetland to the desired slope.

Nutrient-rich soil is evenly distributed. Grass will be established throughout.

Matting is secured to prevent the grass seed and soil from washing away. The center areas will contain aquatic plants.

We will utilize native aquatic plants, such as Pickerel Weed, to clean the water and attract Dragonflies, which eat mosquitoes!

As the aquatic plants grow, the Weston Lakefront development wetland will turn into a healthy, functioning system. This is an example of one of our constructed, healthy wetlands.

Our wetland conversion is now compliant, saved our client time and money, and enhanced the aesthetics of the property. We develop maintenance plans post-construction to keep the wetland healthy and functioning. It is important to utilize a specialized maintenance team with lake and pond experience. Healthy plants have to be taken care of properly, while invasive plants need to be controlled. With proper maintenance, the innovative Weston Lakefront development will have a beautiful sanctuary long into the future. At Dragonfly Pond Works, we create beautiful spaces.

To learn more about our wetland restoration and aquatic planting services, please CLICK HERE.