Summer 25 OP Newsletter

VILLAGE PONDS

Below are a few of the most common questions the Village receives and their answers.

In most cases, the “weeds” are not weeds but purposely maintained native plantings that provide benefits like reducing erosion and filtering nutrient runoff from nearby yards, thereby also reducing algae growth in the water.

The Village previously maintained riprap around some ponds but it was costly to install and maintain. Native plantings are more cost effective, provide the additional benefit of filtering out chemical runoff and comes recommended by several agencies like the USEPA, US Army Corp of Engineers and the Morton Arboretum.

Do the holidays impact Waste

The Village’s priority is maintaining these ponds as stormwater detention facilities. While we hope that residents may find the naturalized look of the native plantings appealing, their purpose is to help in reducing maintenance for the ponds and slowing down the rate of erosion.

The Village is full of many natural grasslands and sloughs that are havens for local wildlife. The plantings around ponds provide only a tiny fraction of habitat area for animals like coyotes. The Village has neither the means nor the desire to completely drive off coyotes from the local area, since they provide a necessary ecosystem balance to keep other pest animals and rodents from growing out of control.

The Village has dredged ponds only a few times in the past but recognizes the growing need for dredging as our ponds continue to grow older and accumulate more sediment. For this reason, Public Works has maintained a shortlist of ponds most in need of sediment removal and intends to begin these projects by 2030.

The Village has a contractor that treats close to 40 ponds for algae, lilies and other aquatic weeds every two weeks from April through October. Even with regular treatment, algae blooms may still occur on occasion. If residents would like to know if their local pond is on the treatment schedule, please contact the Public Works Department at (708) 403-6350.

orlandpark.org | Summer 2025 |

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