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Contractors tell board Pinewood project punch list nearly complete; retention pond designed to match pre-development discharge
Summary
Ratcliffe Construction and the architect reported interior punch-list work will finish imminently and explained that the new retention pond was designed to limit post-development runoff to pre-development rates, though visible concentrated discharge has drawn public attention.
Contractors working on the new Pinewood (DeRidder Elementary School) project told the Beauregard Parish School Board on Thursday that most remaining punch-list items are near completion and that visible runoff from a newly installed retention pond reflects engineered drainage, not an increase in the neighborhood—s total discharge rate.
Derek Spahr, project manager for Ratcliffe Construction, said interior punch-list items "will be done tomorrow" and that crews were finishing exterior work and adding identifying numbers on the car drop-off. "The last remaining big item is to put the grass," Spahr said.
Board members raised public concerns about water and silt flowing from the retention pond onto High School Drive and Texas Street. The board introduced the district—s project architect, Brad Evans, to explain the design and regulatory background.
Evans told the board the retention pond was installed as required by the city engineer and by design captures and detains stormwater that previously sheet-flowed across the undeveloped site. He said engineers perform pre-development runoff calculations and size the pond and outlets so the post-development discharge rate at the public outfall is at or below the pre-development rate. Evans said the pond has multiple outlets that open in succession for larger rainfall events, and that because runoff is now released from a concentrated point it can look larger even though total volume and regulated discharge rate should match or be below the historic condition.
Evans and Spahr discussed options to improve the visible runoff—s appearance and reduce erosion, including additional sodding or hydroseeding with straw mats and slope-specific seed mixes. Spahr said the contractor had presented pricing for additional sodding and was on hold pending board direction.
Board members and the contractors also discussed long-term site maintenance and the limits the city engineer—s available infrastructure places on tying the site to subsurface drainage. Evans said the city does not provide a nearby subsurface outlet that would allow the project to eliminate concentrated surface discharge.
Board members praised the overall construction quality and told contractors the parish appreciates the work. Spahr and Evans said remaining interior punch-list items and exterior finish work would be completed quickly.
No formal action was taken; the board received the contractors— updates and directed staff to continue coordination on final landscaping and erosion control.
