Stormwater management is about controlling how water moves across a site after development changes the landscape. Roads, rooftops, and parking areas prevent natural infiltration, increasing runoff volume and speed. Across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Colorado, one of the most effective tools engineers use to manage this runoff is stormwater basin design, specifically detention and retention ponds.
While detention ponds and retention ponds are often mentioned together, they serve different purposes. Understanding how each functions helps developers, municipalities, and property owners make informed decisions that reduce flood risk and protect downstream infrastructure.
Why stormwater basins matter
Before development, rainfall spreads slowly across natural terrain. After development, water concentrates quickly, creating higher peak flows that can overwhelm drainage systems. Stormwater basin design slows that runoff, controls discharge rates, and reduces erosion and flooding downstream.
In Texas and Oklahoma, intense rainfall events can deliver large volumes of water in short periods. In New Mexico, flash flooding is a common concern where soils and slopes accelerate runoff. In Colorado, snowmelt can create sustained runoff over longer durations. Detention and retention ponds help manage these regional differences by controlling how and when stormwater is released.
Detention ponds: controlling peak flow
A detention pond in Texas and throughout the Southwest is designed to temporarily store stormwater during a storm event. Water enters the basin, is held for a short period, and then released at a controlled rate through an outlet structure.
The goal is not to eliminate runoff, but to slow it down. By reducing peak discharge rates, detention ponds protect downstream storm sewers, channels, and roadways from flooding and erosion. Detention ponds are commonly used in residential subdivisions, commercial developments, and roadway projects where space allows for surface basins.
Because detention ponds are normally dry between storm events, they can often be integrated into open space areas, parks, or landscaped features.
Retention ponds: storage and water quality
A retention pond permanently holds water and provides both flood control and water quality benefits. In addition to reducing peak flows, retention ponds allow sediment to settle and improve water quality before discharge or infiltration.
Retention ponds are commonly used where regulations require water quality treatment or where aesthetics are a priority. In many developments across Texas and Colorado, retention ponds double as visual amenities while still serving a critical drainage function.
When underground detention makes sense
In dense urban areas, land availability can limit the use of surface basins. Underground detention systems are often used beneath parking lots or open spaces where surface ponds are not feasible. These systems provide the same flow control benefits without consuming valuable surface area, though they typically require more maintenance and access planning.
Designing for long-term performance
Whether detention or retention is used, long-term success depends on proper sizing, outlet design, and maintenance planning. A basin that is undersized or poorly maintained can become ineffective quickly. Engineers account for watershed size, soil conditions, rainfall intensity, and downstream constraints to ensure stormwater systems perform as intended.
To learn more about how stormwater systems are integrated into site and infrastructure design, visit the Services page. If you’re planning a development and want to discuss stormwater strategies early, reach out through the Contact page.
FAQs
Detention vs. retention: what’s the practical difference?
Detention ponds temporarily store stormwater and release it slowly after a storm. Retention ponds permanently store water and provide both flood control and water quality benefits.
When are underground detention systems used?
Underground detention is typically used in urban areas where land is limited, and surface ponds are not feasible, such as dense commercial or mixed-use developments.
