Reviving Detention Ponds: How GEPS Is Transforming Stormwater Management in Denver and Salisbury

Kavin Venkat
4 days ago
2 min read

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At Exlterra, we’re proud to be applying GEPS (Groundwater Energy Passive System) to solve real, persistent challenges in stormwater infrastructure — not just on golf courses, but in critical detention ponds that struggle with standing water.

Two Key Installations, One Shared Problem

We have recently completed GEPS installations in two very different contexts:

Denver, Colorado – on the premises of the Owens Corning roofing plant.
- Elevation: Denver sits at approximately 5,280 ft above sea level.
- The detention pond at this site was frequently overflowing onto a road used by delivery trucks, disrupting operations and posing safety risks.
Salisbury, Maryland – within a 65,000-gallon detention pond on the premises of the Maryland Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA).
- Elevation: Salisbury is nearly at sea level, around 36 ft above sea level.
- Despite being intended as a detention pond (not retention), water frequently stood there, defeating its purpose.

The Challenge: Standing Water in Detention Ponds

Both ponds suffer from the same issue: water remains stagnant long after rain, even though they were designed to drain.

This persistent standing water can lead to:

Mosquito breeding and associated health risks
Odor problems
Disruption to site operations (as seen in Denver)
Regulatory risk and poor stormwater management

Traditional fixes like pumps are expensive, energy-intensive, and require maintenance. GEPS offers a smarter, passive alternative.

GEPS to the Rescue: How It Works

GEPS is installed below the surface, without moving parts or electricity.

Its key benefits for these detention ponds include:

Faster Recovery After Storms: Following a rain event, the ponds drain more quickly, minimizing downtime and overflow risk.
Long-Term Reduction in Standing Water: Over time, GEPS helps maintain lower average water levels — significantly reducing stagnant water periods.
Passive, Sustainable Solution: Unlike pumps, GEPS works with the natural subsurface to manage water, requiring no ongoing energy input.

Real-World Impact

In Denver, GEPS helps avoid overflow on the plant’s access road — a major operational benefit.
In Salisbury, through subsurface infiltration and balanced redistribution, GEPS offers the only viable, low-impact solution (besides pumping) for managing the full 65,000-gallon capacity — particularly crucial given its extremely low elevation.