River Ridge Commerce Center Stormwater and Decorative Pond

Stormwater has become a hot-button topic for environmentalists and city managers alike. Environmentalists see stormwater as a mode of transportation for pollutants into area waterways. City managers see it as a nuisance and the cause of flooding in the ever-hardening landscapes of metropolitan areas. It is true that stormwater generated by hardened landscapes should be captured to reduce flooding and encourage treatment. This does not have to be a one-size-fits-all solution. There are various options of low impact development that use stormwater for increasing the aesthetics of an area. That is just what designers of the River Ridge Commerce Center in Jeffersonville, IN envisioned when planning this beautiful campus.

The Design

This 6,000 acre development is focused on attracting a variety of industries, including: advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and logistics. This wide range of trades and the vision of keeping the campus attractive for visitors and businesses alike, resulted in a design with various land uses. The project team wanted to seam these different land uses together, while creating an inviting space using placemaking principals. With these considerations in mind, this large stormwater and decorative pond became the centerpiece of the gateway to River Ridge.

This pond captures a large area of stormwater from the industrial park, keeping it out of area surface waters. Other features of this project include walking trails, gardens, an amphitheater, and an island and waterfalls within the pond itself. These additional elements are used by businesses and visitors alike, creating an environment that is productive, attractive, and environmentally aware.

The Liner

Both functionality and esthetics of this large stormwater and decorative pond largely drove the choice of liner for this project. 45 Mil EPDM was chosen due to its high flexibility, fish friendliness and puncture resistance. In addition, EPDM’s UV resistance allowed parts of the liner to be left exposed. These attributes were necessary for a variety of design features.

Prior to the placement of decorative large boulders and fish habitat, a layer of compacted littoral clay was installed on top of the liner. This layer serves as a cushion for the liner, further protecting it from being punctured by any jagged edged materials. Even with the addition of clay, liner flexibility was required to absorb the weight of heavy boulders and substrate settling over time.

High puncture and tear resistance were necessary to affix the liner to cement structures throughout the pond without causing tearing. 1,400 linear feet of stainless-steel battening was employed to affix the liner to design elements, such as the island, waterfall, and stormwater outlets throughout the pond. Anchor trenches were used to secure the remainder of the nearly 240,000 sq ft of EPDM liner used for this project. Employing a liner that has UV resistance was imperative as water levels will be fluctuating due to the addition and evaporation of stormwater.

Quality Instillation

EPDM is a very forgiving geomembrane in terms of flexibility and exposure to the environment. Even with these qualities, projects such as the River Ridge pond include thousands of feet of seams and a great deal of stainless-steel battening require technical experience that is invaluable to the outcome of the project. The team at ICS has well over half a million square feet of EPDM installations under our belt. Contact our team leaders for assistance with design, takeoffs and to get your project on the books!