What’s Up With That?: SEH upgrading its stormwater ponds

There is a vast open trench, off of Northeast 122nd Avenue between 42nd Street and 40th Circle, full of something. It looks like it might be water, but it seems to change color from time to time. Looks like it might be coming from SEH America. While it is fenced, it seems odd to have an open trench full of whatever in a residential area so close to homes and a school. What’s up with that? –Laurie Treosti, Vancouver

Laurie, that vast open trench is actually a pair of stormwater retention ponds. That’s according to SEH America senior director for site services Pat McDonnell. SEH manufactures silicon wafers for semiconductors and other electronics technology. It owns a pretty vast campus out there on 122nd Avenue.

McDonnell said you happen to have asked the question just when SEH has embarked upon a thorough upgrade to its stormwater situation.

“We are redoing our stormwater retention system completely,” McDonnell wrote in an email. “We have it engineered and have our permits in place. That took a serious amount of time and refinement” with the city of Vancouver and the state Department of Ecology, he said.

Work is under way now and should be completed in early October, McDonnell said. SEH wants it all done before the rain sets in.

The two ponds currently on site will stay there, he said, and two more will be added.

“It will be fully landscaped with trees, etc., and will look very pleasing for the neighbors,” McDonnell said. And what’s in there, exactly — anything other that water?

“It is just stormwater and has and will be inspected by DOE and City,” McDonnell said.– Scott Hewitt