When venturing into your next capital projects, whether you want a full portfolio refresh or a standalone location update, partnering with a trusted landscape vendor will help you achieve the right information to structure the right budget across multiple sites in your portfolio.  

 Knowing and utilizing these capital project best-practices for your landscape will protect your capital budget while delivering other saving opportunities.  

The scope of work is essential to complete for any landscaping capital project.  

 You need to level-set your landscape, see what’s available, and begin to identify opportunities to improve your current project’s objectives. To do this, you need a Territory Manager to physically walk your properties to identify the areas of opportunities needing repair.  

 Once a scope is submitted, it’s up to your stakeholders to review and ensure they capture the essence of what you wanted to accomplish. It’s good practice to have a reliable Project Manager (PM) to take the reins to ensure communication and outcomes accurately.   

Call Ferrandino & Son at (866) 571 – 4609 or email sales@ferrandinoandson.com to learn more about how we maximize our landscaping crews’ performance.

A separate critical step when committing to your capital projects involves engaging with your local municipality.  

 Across the United States, municipality codes vary within landscaping refreshes. Obtaining your permits is necessary, even if you’re replacing an existing plant material or removing mulch.  

 If a permit isn’t required, that’s actually an added benefit and convenience. Unfortunately, this is never the case.  

 The entire permit process will often go through several board reviews before approval, requiring lengthy waiting periods. A more straightforward solution is letting your landscape partner manage the permitting process for you.  

The following few details incorporate several other factors into your landscaping capital projects.  

A Purchase Order (PO) is needed, so items are clearly defined and approved to establish the project’s cost. Additionally, to keep track of your finalized project plans, software solutions, like Jira or Basecamp, should be used to ensure your project planning and process visibility.   

Additionally, checking Irrigation is a critical component of any landscaping capital project, especially if you’re installing any plant material.  

Remember, running multiple projects in parallel can often deliver a greater bang for your dollar!  

Completing your capital projects can be a great ordeal. However, it doesn’t have to be.  

 Before starting a landscape capital project, confirm and execute your project goals with your national contractor from the start so you can safeguard your process.

So, why is it a good idea to have ponds on your properties?  

 One way to help manage your stormwater around your locations is by building a pond or a water basin.  

There are two different kinds of ponds. Knowing the difference is the first step towards proper maintenance care.   

 A retention pond is a pool of water that changes when reacting to rain or runoff water. These pools collect the rain or runoff water and then release it slowly (at a controlled rate) to prevent flooding or property erosion. 

 A detention pond is a dry pool but quickly fills during rainfall. These ponds temporarily hold the excess water and then slowly release it to another location. 

 Regardless of the type of pond you have on your property, it will need proper attention. 

If you fail to have a routine maintenance plan in place for your ponds, or if you ignore it, your ponds will fail.  

The number one cause of pond failure is trash or organic debris clogging your pond’s natural draining process. Clogged ponds are not only an unsightly eyesore, but you’ll have some annoyed property inspectors or landlords if they notice the neglect.  

 Why would this be a concern? As required, your pond must pass occasional inspections by either your municipality, state environmental, or water department to make sure it’s working as intended. 

Some of the checkpoints in your audit may incorporate the following: 

• If vegetation or debris is obstructing the water flow  
• If there’s any sign of erosion  
• If surrounding concrete or brick is structurally safe and strong  

Typically, if your assessment does find some issues, you’ll be given a warning or a set time frame to repair your pond. One way to help streamline your repairs is to first connect with a stormwater partner who’s experienced and licensed in these services.  

 A national partner will have the resources to detect and provide immediate services to help avoid some of your pond maintenance concerns. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about the consistent upkeep since they’ll be able to provide a program that does it all for you.   

Other landscaping issues can involve other invasive plants like weeds that can block your pond’s water flow and crowd out the beneficial greenery. 

Partnering up with a national landscape partner makes things easier because they have the right turnkey services and a network of professional crews that understand the correct pattern to mow around your pond to support your routine retention and detention pond maintenance care.  

Your retention and detention pond maintenance will be budget-friendly and seamless when you place your trust with your national partner.  

 Your partner will expertly tend to all the details that will keep your pond working beautifully while ensuring it passes all inspections. 

 To start planning your pond maintenance care, connect with a commercial landscaping expert today. They’ll assess your property, create a custom plan, and get you on your way to enjoying a worry-free portfolio. 

Ferrandino & Son, Inc. delivers commercial stormwater management services to multi-site portfolios across the country. To learn more about Ferrandino & Son, visit https://ferrandinoandson.com/ or email us at sales@ferrandinoandson.com. 

Best Management Practices (BMPs) helps to reduce pollution in stormwater runoff, so your waterway areas become protected. However, the efficacy of stormwater control depends upon regular inspections and maintenance of all aspects of your facility.  

There are two types of BMPs, commonly referred to as routine maintenance and corrective maintenance.  

Corrective maintenance repairs a defective part identified during an inspection, while routine maintenance actions return the area to the original conditions for suitable function. 

Below are some maintenance items for your Detention and Infiltration Programs to help identify critical components that require maintenance and timelines of occurrence.  

When inspecting the inlets and outlets of your Detention and Infiltration systems, you must consider several things. 

First, evaluating the structural integrity of your Detention Pond includes looking at whether or not your pipes are broken, separated, or crumbling. At the same time, your inspection should assess the structural integrity of the system to naturally divert the stormwater runoff flow to areas where it can percolate. Both should take place annually.  

 Your Detention BMP has requirements to review the condition of your pipes annually as well. For example, if noticeable changes have occurred, the report needs to detail the size, type, material, and other relevant information. 

Furthermore, other annual inspections include checking your inlet riprap, any clogged stones near your outlet, or any signs of physical inlet/outlet erosion, and making sure your inspecting and cleaning your upstream catch basin.  

Lastly, monthly surveys typically focus on making sure trash, light debris, and any overflow of spillways are clear.    

To ensure proper functionality of your pond, outlet, and infiltration devices annually, it’s good practice to involve a PE (Professional Engineer). An engineer has the know-how to detect and repair specific parts accurately and on time to mitigate problems or delays.  

We note that your Infiltration checklist varies slightly from your Detention checklists in addition to the other previously mentioned guidelines. These points focus on your BMP Infiltration Surface, aggregate, and vegetation (if applicable).  

Ensuring your sediment and erosion are non-present and that aggregate is replaced properly helps proper stormwater function along with maintaining your vegetative cover, especially after a significant storm.   

Optional annual enhancements that add to your BMP include establishing limits on intrusive components near your ponds and instituting no-mow zone areas. Maintaining a 15-20 ft. no-mow or chemical-free space helps keep your pond natural and systems healthy.   

Keeping your stormwater systems eco-friendly includes adding no fertilizer (unless testing requires it) and limiting landscaping services only when necessary. Also, making sure to avoid unauthorized plantings and other invasive species helps preserve your pond or systems aesthetics and mitigates residential complaints.  

 If, in the event, you must utilize a herbicide, contact a qualified commercial application specialist that selectively uses herbicide for invasive species. These experts can also aid in increasing your plant diversity by sowing vegetation that promotes the health of your pond and the infiltration basin area. 

We recommend performing your BMP inspections by a licensed PE or specialized commercial contractor to safeguard the design and function of your ponds or stormwater drainage system.  

Contact your partner or specialist to discuss your options and for other necessary next steps.   

Ferrandino & Son, Inc. delivers commercial stormwater management services to multi-site portfolios across the country. To learn more about Ferrandino & Son, visit https://ferrandinoandson.com/ or email us at sales@ferrandinoandson.com. 

The best way you can control your stormwater runoff is by implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs).  

Whether you have them in place to meet permit requirements or for simply reducing the overall effects of stormwater runoff from your facility grounds, below you will find our five expert solutions to manage your stormwater runoff.  

Dry detention basins, also known as dry ponds, are stormwater solutions designed to contain water for a short amount of time while releasing it away slowly. In addition, the basins help purify the water.  

For example, during and immediately following storm events, the basin becomes filled with runoff water, and its short stay in the pond lets particles and pollutants settle to the bottom. Then, the outlet structure slowly releases the water into a sewer system when it reaches a certain level.  

During significant storm events, emergency spillways carry the water away from the basin. However, it’s best practice to monitor this action due to the risk of erosion. 

These basins are a great asset when managing stormwater, mainly due to their ability to be sustainable in any U.S. climate or region. However, one limitation you may notice is the amount of space needed to construct one.  

If your facility space turns out to be too small, the outlet system can become faulty due to constant clogging during storm-related weather events. 

The EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] recommends having a minimum of about 10 acres to construct one. Additionally, you shouldn’t install one alone in areas prone to highly contaminated runoff, otherwise known as “stormwater hot spots.”  

Nevertheless, dry detention basins are among the best flood control systems for stormwater.    

Although retention basins can be used in almost any application and easily retrofitted for existing detention basins, they require special care. They’re not suitable for every location, and you’ll probably have to pay a hefty upfront cost.  

In addition, it’s not wise to build these basins in permeable soil since the water would pass through, decreasing the water level. Also, these basins require periodic inspection due to the surrounding vegetation and for routine maintenance.

Before even building the basin, you also have to consider the potential disturbance it may cause to surrounding wetland areas and how it may contaminate groundwater because any design flaw can decrease your water quality.     

However, these artificial ponds function as another solution to manage your stormwater and add an aesthetic appeal to your properties. They’re also sustainable (on average more than 20 years) with proper maintenance. 

Sand filters are not only effective stormwater management systems, but they can also effectively remove pollutants from stormwater runoff. They are typically two or three chamber systems. 

The first chamber holds the sediment and helps reduce large and heavy residues that float in the water. Additionally, as the water filters through the sand bed in the second chamber, more pollutants are left behind.  

The treated water then passes through the discharge chamber, releasing it into a storm drainage system or directly towards surface water. 

You’ll see sand filters in developed urban settings that have water-resistant surfaces, like paved parking lots, garages, and driveways. These systems also act as an additional infiltration option in drier climate regions. 

However, they do have less capability to remove nutrients and metal from runoff and typically handle only small areas. In addition, you need regular maintenance to prevent clogging, and you may have to replace the filter matter often.  

Another drawback is that sand filters don’t protect against erosion. Still, sand filters do a great job reducing most runoff pollution and help protect groundwater quality. In addition, they take up far less space compared to artificial ponds and detention basins. 

Anything that is stored outside or exposed to rain and runoff should be covered if it has the potential to contaminate stormwater. Coverings can include anything temporary, like plastic, tarp, or something more permanent such as a roof or shed. 

Coverings are very common since most facilities house either raw materials, byproducts, or other goods that could pollute stormwater runoff. 

Some disadvantages include frequent inspections, and at times, they’re not as effective. However, coverings are extremely easy to apply in many situations and are a cost-effective solution. 

These five general stormwater BMPs are only a few ways to keep your runoff under control. Though, we do note that every project and situation requires different methods.  

If you have any questions regarding what stormwater BMPs may be best for your current project, connect with your stormwater management partner today. 

Ferrandino & Son, Inc. delivers commercial stormwater management services to multi-site portfolios across the country. To learn more about Ferrandino & Son, visit https://ferrandinoandson.com/ or email us at sales@ferrandinoandson.com. 

Should you maintain your detention ponds regularly? In short, yes.  

Ponds need to be supported with some regularity if you intend to keep the pond operating as expected and if you want to mitigate costly issues down the road. 

Detention and retention pond maintenance repair has become a big topic of conversation because they are among the most targeted compliance issues outside of ADA with local municipalities. They also help slow down runoff, contain sediment, collect trash, and remove pollutants, all leading to reduced issues from local officials.

In addition, they offer an opportunity to add and retain a little bit of nature as your property develops. Below are some insider maintenance best practices to protect and repair your pond assets. 

Ponds are highly effective at moving storm runoff at the speed and direction desired by the property owner and their surrounding neighbors. In addition, these specialized ponds present a natural feel to the property and provide a great place to enjoy your property’s aesthetics. 

Unfortunately, if you fail to plan adequately, design, and engineer your detention pond, you might end up with unwanted repairs as the property ages. Initially, when planning out the details of your pond, you must first choose the correct location.  

Typically, people tend to build ponds in the back of a property or some other “out-of-sight” location. Most people want it to perform its duty, but some assume it to be an unattractive feature. Thus, most like it out of sight.  

However, it most often gets neglected when it’s out-of-site because out of sight often leads to out of mind. 

On the other hand, you can avoid unnecessary costs and municipality scrutiny by simply implementing regular inspections or maintenance checks. 

Doing regular inspections performed by a stormwater management professional can make all the difference. The inspector will catch and assess failures and repairs early in your pond’s development and can help lower expensive maintenance over time, versus you waiting until someone downstream has property damage due to your failed pond. 

Maintaining your detention pond is not complicated. It just needs to be done right and right on time. 

The benefit of maintenance is a low-cost and often desirable stormwater management feature that will work for you and your properties for years to come. 

Ferrandino & Son, Inc. delivers commercial stormwater management services to multi-site portfolios across the country. To learn more about Ferrandino & Son, visit https://ferrandinoandson.com/ or email us at sales@ferrandinoandson.com. 

The usage of stormwater treatment plans, often referred to as Best Management Practices (BMPs), has increased significantly due to additional stormwater laws.  

These regulations require a developed systematic approach for BMP inspection and maintenance documentation since BMPs require ongoing assessment and maintenance to guarantee desired treatment goals.  

There are various resource guides and supplemental manuals regarding local government inspections and maintenance activities associated with multiple BMP categories. This reference guide focuses on Bioretention, Bioswales, and Vegetated Filter Inspections and describes the BMPs and a list of some applications for further exploration.  

As you assess your inlets and outlets for your Bioretention, Bioswales, and Vegetated Filter Strip Inspections, note the structural integrity and the amount of debris. You want to make sure you’re clearing all debris and that your structure is intact and stable on an annual and monthly basis. 

 Likewise, annually, you want to check for signs of erosion to your Bioretention inlets (rock or mat) and outlets and inspect and clean your BMP upstream basin every five years.

For annual pretreatment services, make sure to evaluate sediment trapping devices and remove any accumulated deposits.  

 In particular, for Bioswales and Vegetated Filter Strip Inspections, assess evidence of erosion and water flow going around structures annually. You want to maintain a clear flow to prolong your system’s sustainability.   

To properly inspect your Bioretention or BMP surface area, remove debris accumulation monthly and remove sediment deposits annually. This approach will help detect evidence of erosion and help improve vegetative cover. 

 Additionally, you can add mulch covers to your specified level of thickness annually regarding your Bioretention surface area as well. Again, your engineer or stormwater management company can help determine this need.

Other annual considerations you should undertake during your Bioretention, Bioswales, and Vegetated Filter inspection process should involve keeping an eye out for any invasive species that may disturb your system.   

 Connecting with a qualified professional can help detect unwanted invasive bugs and plants and can help apply a selective herbicide to treat your area. They can also increase the diversity of your vegetation, improving aesthetics and mitigating potential residential complaints.   

We recommend performing your BMP inspections by a licensed PE or specialized commercial contractor to safeguard the design and function of your ponds or stormwater drainage system.  

Contact your partner or specialist to discuss your options and for other necessary next steps.   

Ferrandino & Son, Inc. delivers commercial stormwater management services to multi-site portfolios across the country. To learn more about Ferrandino & Son, visit https://ferrandinoandson.com/ or email us at sales@ferrandinoandson.com.