Dual-Purpose Detention Ponds: A Texas Case Study

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Why Developers, Contractors & Property Owners Choose JRH

Most engineering firms talk about technical capability.

We focus on what actually matters to your project: speed, cost, communication, and results.

Faster Project Turnaround

Our streamlined processes and efficient team structure mean shorter design and permitting timelines — without sacrificing quality or accuracy.

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We have successfully delivered civil, structural, and land development projects for developers, contractors, and owners throughout Texas, North Carolina, and Florida.

Check out JRH’s case studies.

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Turning Existing Ponds into Detention Ponds

Many rural Texas sites already have a fishing pond or a cattle stock tank.

Instead of digging a new detention pond, an existing pond can sometimes be modified and documented to provide the required storage.

That saves land, earthwork and money.

JRH Engineering is a Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer and Land Development firm serving Texas, North Carolina and Florida.

JRH guiding principles are: Engineering Excellence. Delivered on Time. Built on Value.

How an Existing Pond Becomes a Detention Pond

• Lower the normal water surface: this creates storage space above the permanent pool

  
  

• Add a controlled outfall: to release runoff at an allowable rate into a ditch or channel

  
  

• Document the storage: calculations show the reviewing agency the pond meets local criteria

  
  

• Check the embankment and access: the pond has to be stable and maintainable

  
  

When It Works

1. The pond sits where site runoff naturally flows.

   
   

2. A legal outfall is available nearby.

   
   

3. The county or drainage district accepts credit for existing storage.

   
   

4. Lowering the water level does not create other problems for the owner.

   
   

Project: HWY 365 Large-Lot Neighborhood, Jefferson County, TX

• Large-lot residential neighborhood with 2–10 acre parcels in Jefferson County

  
  

• Reviewed by Jefferson County and the local drainage district

  
  

• Read the full HWY 365 case study

  
  

Challenges

• An existing fishing pond had to fit into the drainage design

  
  

• Large-lot roads cost more per lot than roads in dense subdivisions

  
  

Objectives

1. Avoid building a new detention pond.

   
   

2. Reduce road cost while securing county and drainage district approval.

   
   

Solutions JRH Engineering Provided

• Civil engineering grading and drainage design

  
  

• The existing fishing pond converted into a detention pond by lowering the water

  surface and adding an outfall to an adjacent ditch

  
  

• Private road drainage with open ditches instead of curb-and-gutter storm sewer

  
  

• Individual wells and septic systems for each lot (septic design by others)

  
  

Results:

• No new detention pond construction

  
  

• County and drainage district approval achieved

  
  

A Second Example: FM 149, Grimes County

On a 140-acre private road neighborhood near Anderson, JRH converted an existing cattle stock tank into the site’s detention pond.

Eight FM 149 frontage lots were sold first to fund construction, and a fire marshal exception was secured for the single-access road.

Read the Phase 1 case study.

Stormwater Resources for Texas, North Carolina and Florida

Texas

• See TCEQ construction stormwater and Detention Pond vs Retention Pond vs Underground Systems.

  
  

North Carolina

• See G.S. 113A-57.

  
  

Florida

• See FDEP’s Environmental Resource Permit program.

  
  

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an existing pond count as a detention pond?

Sometimes, if it is modified to provide storage and the reviewing agency accepts it.

How is storage added to an existing pond?

By lowering the normal water surface and adding a controlled outfall.

Do rural roads need curb and gutter?

Not necessarily; open-ditch drainage was approved on the Jefferson County project.

Who approves detention pond designs in unincorporated Texas?

Usually the county, and sometimes a drainage district.

Does JRH design septic systems?

No, septic design is by others.

Does JRH Engineering obtain building permits?

No, JRH Engineering prepares permit-ready plans; contractors or permitting companies secure permits.

Want More Information on this Topic?

• Call JRH Engineering at (800) 227-9635

  
  

• Use the chatbot in the lower right-hand corner of this page

  
  

• Submit a request through JRH Engineering’s contact page

  
  

Find JRH Engineering on Google:

• Houston, TX | Manvel, TX (HQ)

  
  

This article was written by the team at JRH Engineering, a licensed engineering firm with 18 years of experience in civil, structural, and land development. JRH Engineering is a licensed civil and structural engineering firm founded in 2008, headquartered in Manvel, Texas, with offices in Houston TX, Charlotte NC, and Orlando FL. Certified WBE, WOSB, and HUB-eligible. Phone: (800) 227-9635 | sales@jrhengineering.net | jrhengineering.net. Texas PE license is F-10385. North Carolina PE license is P-3118. Florida license is 38516.