Pump Selection and Pump Station Design

for Storm Water Retention Ponds

by Mert Alexander, PE
Wade-Trim

Receiving
Water
Discharge
Force Main

Check
Valve
a
Storm water retention ponds are needed to hold excess storm flow and drainage until it can be
safely released to a receiving stream. The stored flow is released over an extended time period
to prevent downstream flooding, high current velocities, bank erosion and other problems asso-
ciated with high stream flow conditions. Ponds also improve water quality by retaining sediments
and floatables that would have been discharged to surface waters.

Storm water retention ponds are required for many new residential and commercial develop-
ments in urban areas. The maximum allowable rate of discharge from a retention pond is usually
based on the area or acreage being drained and is established by local ordinance or code.

The rate of discharge from a pond is usually regulated by pumping. As soon as there is a suffi-
cient water depth, the pump starts; it continues while the pond fills and stops when water is
drained from the pond. The pond continues to discharge long after the storm is over. Due to the
rainfall intensity and runoff characteristics of the landscape, the rate of pond filling usually ex-
ceeds the rate of discharge pumping. Thus the water is stored in the pond. The total volume of
storage depends on the pond area and depth.
a Figure 1
Pump Station

Wet
Well

h
“h” is the
static head
range for the
pump which
is the same
depth “d”, as
the storage
pond

Inlet Pipe to
Pump Station
Maximum Pond
Storage Level

Minimum
Water Level
 Figure 2
System Curves for Pump Station Design (example)
60
Unique problems must be
recognized during pump
50
station design and selection Low wet well

Total discharge head, FT

of the pumping equipment for
storm water retention ponds. 40

The maximum water level of

a pond may often be at the 30
Dynamic head
same elevation as the dis- at 2000 gpm
High wet well
charge pipe for the pumps. 20
Low wet well static head
The discharge elevation
depends on the elevation of 10
the receiving stream. Since
the pump station wet well is High wet well static head
0
an extension of the pond
0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
(see Figure 1), the static 50 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60

head for the pumps is a Flow, GPM

variable which depends on
pond level. The maximum
static head is usually the depth of the pond. During a high pond level condition, there is little
static head available and it is difficult to select a pump capable of handling the desired flow under
a small head condition. This may be compounded by the fact that during the low water level
condition, there may be a considerable static head to overcome.

Several approaches can be used to select a viable pump curve and pump for these unusual
hydraulic conditions. First, the system curve for all the variables must be defined. The shape
(curvature) of the system curve with increased flow rate is the dynamic head loss which de-
pends on the size, length and type of piping and losses associated with valves and fittings. The
static head that the pump must overcome is the difference between the free fall pumped dis-
charge elevation and the elevation of water in the wet well. The static head is also a variable, and
both the “high wet well” and “low wet well” system curves must be plotted (see Figure 2). Once
the system curves are defined (total head loss versus flow), they illustrate the losses used to
select the best fitting pump curve.

It is often difficult to find a pump curve that stays within its hydraulic envelope for all flow and
head conditions, therefore, it may be necessary to adjust the discharge piping geometry to gain
additional static head. One solution is to increase the elevation of the discharge force main.
However, for winter conditions the force main must be below the frost line to prevent freezing; up
to six feet of soil cover may be required. If no other solution is found other than to place the force
main closer to the ground surface, a separate discharge force main can be provided for each
pump and a check valve should not be installed in either line. Separate force mains are required.
A check valve installed at the discharge from each pump to a common force main prevents
pump short circuiting if only one pump is operating. Under the first scenario the pump will start,
water will fill the force main and exit at the discharge elevation. When the pump stops, water will
flow back by gravity through the pump and drain from the force main. Since there is no water in
the force main, the pipe will not freeze. The design engineer should check with the pump manu-
facturer to make certain that the reversal of water through the pump will not damage the pump or
motor. Usually the drainage time is short and will not damage the equipment.
 a
The force main can also be designed to function as a flow control orifice. The force main’s size
and/or length (usually in the horizontal run) can be selected so that sufficient dynamic head is
generated at the maximum discharge flow. For example, a force main that consists of 30 linear
feet of 10 inch plastic pipe followed by 20 linear feet of 8 inch ductile iron pipe may be the neces-
sary combination to produce the desired head for the pump. If two or more pumps are connected
to this common force main, the flow and head conditions must be checked for all pumping
combinations.

If there is a gravity feed pipe from the storm pond to the pump station wet well (see Figure 3), it
may be possible to size this inlet conduit under a fully submerged condition to control the rate of
inflow into the pump station. The rate of inflow should be equal to the desired maximum pumping
rate and, at the same time, the dynamic losses attributed to the inlet conduit (in feet of head)
must be equal to the static head required for pumping. For example, under the maximum pump-
ing (but limiting) flow rate, assume that four feet of static head must be maintained between the
pumped discharge elevation and the wet well surface water. Therefore, the inlet conduit to the
pump station must function as a control orifice to generate the four feet of losses. As the pond
water level decreases, the water level in the wet well will also decrease. However, as the static
head for the pumps increases, the pumping rate will decrease as governed by the pump curve.
The pumping rate will continue to decrease until the pond is emptied. This is advantageous
because the overall discharge to the stream is extended over a greater time.

The inlet pipe could be downsized for its entire length or a restrictor could be placed into the inlet
where the line enters the wet well. However, an undersized inlet line or restrictor could be
plugged by leaves or debris. The design engineer should exercise caution in regards to this
design option.
a Figure 3
Pump Station

Receiving
Water
h2 Discharge
Force Main

h1 , losses due to inlet =

h2 , static head required for pump
Wet
Well

Inlet Pipe to
Pump Station
sized for flow
control
Maximum Pond
Storage Level

h1