THE PONDS

by Design Landscapes Australia Pty Ltd

The Ponds is a new suburb located adjacent to Kellyville Ridge in Sydney’s North West. The centrepiece of The Ponds is the landmark nature corridor covering more than 80 hectares of the suburb. Within the corridor are a series of 11 rain gardens developed for stormwater management. The rain garden development project was completed late 2011. Commercial landscape contractor Design Landscapes was the principal contractor on the project.

The purpose of the rain gardens is to collect, detain and clean stormwater runoff from the residential development prior to release back into Second Ponds creek. The Rain Gardens also provide a diverse range of recreational facilities.

The Ponds is a significant environmental project, incorporating a new technique of stormwater cleansing via rain gardens, which utilise biomass and multiple filtration layers to remove solids and nutrients for the water prior to release back into the natural creek line.

The Ponds is made up of 11 rain gardens, all of which collect stormwater runoff from a 300 hectare catchment area. The largest rain garden covers 3000m2, has a catchment area of 14 hectares and is capable of holding up to 2 mega litres of water. The corridor runs for more than 2km and is situated adjacent to Second Ponds creek.

Rain gardens have five layers of specially designed material to filter the water and retain solids along with the biomass. Gardens have service access ways for maintenance and to allow for biomass renewal when the effective lifespan is reached and to ensure sustainability of the rain gardens.

Works include planting of close to half a million plants within the rain garden and riparian zones, which will act as the biomass to remove nutrients from stormwater. The layers include a compacted clay sub-grade which has been detailed with a series of peaks and valleys to trap water, an extensive subsoil drainage network, a liner, aggregate filter layer, a specially blended transitional filter layer utilising recycled material, a specially blended organic filter layer which also acts as the growing medium and an erosion control layer. There is an extension network of spillways and headwalls with bridges for recreational access.

Alive with water, bushland, parks and playgrounds, The Ponds is home to hundreds of families. And in every aspect of its design, The Ponds reflects a real commitment to building a sustainable environment.

Contact:

Design Landscapes Pty Ltd
Michael Platt
Ph: 02 9958 9400
Email: michael.platt@designls.com
Web: www.designls.com


 

Project Particulars:

Client: Landcom
Landscape Architect: Clouston & Associates
Engineer and Rain Garden Hydraulics: J Wyndham Prince



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