New fountains in Campus Pond are splashing success

Propelling plumes of water more than 20 feet into the air, two new fountains installed in the Campus Pond last week are not only transforming the iconic waterway visually, but are expected to help reduce algae and improve conditions for aquatic life.

“We’ve wanted to do some work with the pond for a quite a few years,” said Gary Glazier, manager of Landscape and Construction Services, who oversaw the installation of the fountains. “It’s one step towards making it more aesthetically attractive.”

Long challenged by poor circulation, buildups of silt and the spread of algae on the stagnant surface during warm weather, the health of the pond is expected to benefit from the extra push provided by the fountains and two underwater aerators being placed at the south end near the Fine Arts Center, said Glazier.

The project was a long time coming, according to Pat Daly, director of Physical Plant, who said the need to aerate the pond was first suggested about 12 years by Microbiology professor Steve Goodwin, now dean of the new College of Natural Sciences. At the time, said Daly, the pond was being dredged and there were questions about its long-term effectiveness.

Goodwin said aeration would speed the breakdown of organic material, according to Daly, but a method still needed to be found. During a visit to Ohio, Daly saw large retention ponds equipped with fountains and asked Pam Monn, assistant director of Physical Plant for Buildings and Grounds, to investigate their use. After she brought back the information last year, Daly gave the project the green light.

Monn said a consulting firm, New England Environmental, was hired to address wetland issues and handle the required permitting from the Amherst Conservation Commission. The pond is fed by Tan Brook and drains into the Mill River, which feeds into the Connecticut.

During two meetings, the town commission heard plans for the fountains and a proposal to treat specific areas of the pond for algae and invasive plants, said Monn. The panel approved the project and also requested a maintenance plan for the pond, which Monn said is being developed.

New England Environmental helped select the sites for the fountains, which sit in the north half of the pond. Glazier said the fountains need at least 29-30 inches of water to operate, so finding spots with the right depth required a bit of searching. Crews from Physical Plant’s Utilities division and Construction Services department worked together to put in waterproof electrical cables, conduits and anchor and hook up the fountains.

Glazier said the fountains use 3-horsepower motors to recirculate the pond water. Adding extra oxygen to the water will help reduce algae, speed the breakdown or organic material and also improve conditions for the fish, turtles and other creatures that call the pond home. Birds at the pond seem to be taking the fountains in stride. Earlier this week, mallards, a small flock of Canada geese and a great blue heron went about their business as the fountains sprinkled.

After the algaecide is applied this week, said Monn, the water should be clearer and the new aerators will create a flow of water north toward the fountains. It’s the biggest effort to improve the pond since it was partially dredged 12 years ago.

According to Glazier, the response from campus employees and visitors has been so positive, a third fountain and lights for all three are in the works. “The lights are going to look fantastic,” he said.

July 23, 2009.

E-mail story to a friendPrinter-friendly version

/more talking points/