Stormwater Ponds in Brampton

Why are stormwater ponds important in Brampton?

When the rain falls, it hits the roof tops, driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, roads, and other hard surfaces within our community. These hard surfaces, unlike lawns, forests, and natural areas, do not absorb any of the water, and so all the rain becomes runoff. The more it rains, the more runoff is produced. As the runoff flows across these hard surfaces, it washes off pollutants such as dirt and oil. Left on its own, this runoff can flood streets and homes, put public safety at risk, damage private and public property, and cause harm to the environment.

Stormwater ponds temporarily store and slowly release stormwater runoff over time to prevent flooding and erosion. Stormwater ponds also help improve water quality before it flows into local rivers and creeks. While the stormwater runoff is stored in the pond, sediment settles at the bottom of the pond so that cleaner water flows back into local rivers and creeks.

The City has over 180 stormwater ponds that provide flood, erosion, and water quality control services. Major maintenance activities are undertaken, every 5-15 years, to restore the function of the stormwater ponds in Brampton. For more information on stormwater pond inspections and maintenance visit the Stormwater Pond Inspections and Maintenance webpage.

How can I stay safe near stormwater management ponds in the winter?

Obey the signs

Stay off stormwater ponds.
Stay away from the shorelines of stormwater ponds.
In case of emergency call 911.

Stay off stormwater ponds. The ice is thin & unsafe!

There may be no visible signs of unsafe ice conditions.
Snow can hide holes and cracks in the ice.
Continuous flow of water and changing water levels can weaken and crack the ice.

How to stay safe near stormwater ponds

Do not skate, sled or walk on stormwater ponds.
Keep children and pets off the ice.
Stay on designated trails when walking near the pond.
Know where the lifesaving equipment is located.
Report any missing lifesaving equipment to 311.

Skate at community outdoor rinks. The City of Brampton has more than 30 community rinks available throughout the city. For more information on where to skate in Brampton click here and here.

How can I stay safe near stormwater management ponds in the summer?

Obey the signs

Stay off stormwater ponds.
Stay away from the shorelines of stormwater ponds.
In case of emergency call 911.

Stay out of stormwater ponds. Stormwater ponds are unsafe!

Water levels can rise very quickly during rainstorms.
Stormwater is polluted and not suitable for swimming, boating, or fishing.
Shorelines can be slippery and unstable.

How to stay safe near stormwater ponds

Do not wade into, swim, fish, or boat in stormwater ponds at any time of the year.
Keep children and pets off the shoreline and out of the water.
Stay on designated trails when walking near the pond.
Know where to find the life-saving equipment.
Report any missing lifesaving equipment to 311.

Swim at pools and open beaches. The City of Brampton has more than 30 swimming pools and splash pads available throughout the city. For more information about swimming in Brampton click here and here.

What is the water quality like in stormwater ponds?

Stormwater ponds control pollution before it is released into the environment. As such, water in ponds contains contaminants that have been washed off hard surfaces from the surrounding neighbourhood by rain and snowmelt. Changes in water quality in stormwater ponds is normal. It is common to see changes in water colour and clarity. The pond might look cloudy and brown or even black especially after it rains, or green because of algae growth. Water in ponds can also be clear, particularly during dry weather. Learn how you can help prevent pollution by visiting the Pollution Prevention webpage here: www.brampton.ca/pollution-prevention.

Why is there so much vegetation in and around the local stormwater pond?

Stormwater ponds are landscaped with grasses, shrubs, and trees. The landscaping in the wet area of the stormwater pond help improve water quality and discourage geese from landing in the pond. The landscaping on the banks of the ponds helps stabilize the ground when water levels fluctuate.

What should the water look like in a stormwater pond?

Changes in the water level and colour are expected in a stormwater pond especially after a rainstorm. The water in the pond can change from clear, to light green, dark green, brown, and can become cloudy. This is because the stormwater flowing into the pond after a rainstorm carries contaminants like sediments, nutrients, and oil from roads, sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots.

The water in stormwater ponds can also look green and cloudy because of aquatic vegetation like duck weed, growing algae plankton, or other plants living under the surface of the water. Green cloudy water is a sign that the stormwater pond is doing its job and absorbing nutrients from fertilizers getting washed into the pond. Stormwater ponds help capture these nutrients that would otherwise go into local creeks, rivers, and natural lakes.

Water colours that are not normal include bluish green (e.g., like green pea soup or turquoise paint) or a red colour. These colours could be evidence of blue-green or red algae.

My local stormwater pond is green and full of algae. Is this bad for stormwater ponds?

A common misunderstanding is that algae growth means a stormwater pond is unhealthy, but this is not always true. Many stormwater ponds will have algae growth in the summer. When you see green cloudy water, that is the ponds way of responding to nutrients being washed into the stormwater pond. These nutrients are typically coming from fertilizers being applied on lawns and gardens in the neighbourhood around the stormwater pond. During a rainstorm, these fertilizers get washed off lawns and gardens into stormwater ponds. As such, some algae are expected in stormwater ponds, especially in the summer.

In rare cases, a severe algae bloom can form “bad” algae known as blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). Blue-green algae can produce toxins that can affect the health of fish, animals, and humans touching the water. Blue-green algae blooms are caused by extreme amounts of phosphorus or animal waste.

What can I do to help reduce algae in the local stormwater?

Here is what you can do to help slow down the growth of algae in stormwater ponds:

Sweep or blow yard waste (e.g., leaves, grass clippings) onto your yard to prevent it from washing into the City’s stormwater system and local stormwater pond.
Decrease or eliminate use of fertilizers, especially on the banks of slopes and landscaping.
Choose phosphorus-free fertilizer products.
Properly dispose of grass clippings and yard waste.
Pick up pet waste.

What is blue-green algae, and is it bad in stormwater ponds?

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) are microscopic, plant-like organisms that grow naturally in ponds, rivers, lakes, and streams. Most of the time they are blue-green in colour, they can also be olive-green, or red. Blue-green algae blooms are more common where the water is shallow, slow moving, and warm, but can also happen in deeper, cooler water. Fresh blooms can smell like newly mown grass, while older blooms may smell like rotting garbage.

If the surface of the local stormwater pond is covered in a bluish-green film, like pea soup or turquoise paint, this could be a sign of a blue-green algae bloom. Blue-green algae can become a problem if the stormwater pond receives too much phosphorous from fertilizers or animal waste.

Blue-green algae can produce toxins that affect the health of fish, animals, and humans that encounter the water. If you suspect a blue-green algal bloom in the local stormwater pond, call the:

Ontario Spills Action Centre

1-866-MOETIPS (6638477)

TTY: 1-855-889-5775

If it is the first blue-green algae bloom of the season on that pond, the Ministry will take a sample of the algae to confirm whether it contains cyanobacteria.

What is Duckweed and why is it in stormwater ponds?

Duckweed in stormwater ponds is common to many municipalities across Southern Ontario including Brampton. Duckweed became more noticeable after herbicide use was banned in 2011. Duckweed does not damage stormwater pond functions. In fact, duckweed provides environmental benefits like improving water quality in the pond. For example, duckweed provides shade which reduces water temperature and slows algae growth by absorbing nutrients.

Are stormwater ponds breeding places for mosquitos?

City stormwater ponds are designed and maintained to prevent mosquito breeding. This includes keeping the pond water depth at more than 1 m, encouraging diverse emergent vegetation at the water’s edge, and addressing stagnant and shallow areas at the water’s edge. Regular maintenance tasks that help combat mosquito habitat include:

removing debris and sediment from inlets, outlets, and the bottom of the pond
repairing erosion/potholes on the banks of ponds
establishing vegetation in areas with bare ground to prevent soil loss
establishing diverse aquatic vegetation on the water’s edge

The City of Brampton works with Peel Public Health to identify, monitor, and address breeding sites. Learn more at www.peelregion.ca/health/vbd/prev-prot.

Should beavers be living in stormwater ponds?

Beavers are often referred to as nature’s engineers because of their ability to build dams with mud, sticks, grasses, leaf litter, and small trees. In Brampton, beavers occasionally take up residence in stormwater ponds and in some of those cases they build dams or block drainage in the pond. Beaver dams can cause water levels to rise in the stormwater pond which increases the risk of localized flooding and damage to stormwater pond infrastructure.

When a beaver is found in a stormwater pond, the City will first inspect the condition of the pond. If the inspection finds no damage to stormwater pond infrastructure and no increased risk of localized flooding, the City will leave the beaver to continue residing in the pond.

If the beaver is damaging infrastructure or increasing the risk of local flooding, the City will install a baffler system into the dam which redirects the water to flow through the dam while keeping the dam in place, preventing the Beaver from building a new dam.

If there remains to be a threat to infrastructure and the baffler system isn’t working properly, then the City will retain a certified beaver trapper to remove the beaver from the stormwater pond. The City will restore the pond infrastructure damaged by the beaver.

If you think there is a beaver living in the local stormwater pond, please report it by calling Service Brampton at 311 or at www.311brampton.ca.

General Stormwater Pond Safety Flyers