Here, we can see a storm water pond on East Campus. It is decently sized and can hold quite a large volume of water, although it is not near full capacity in the photo. This pond is something we as the UGA and Athens communities should care about as it helps to reduce flood damage and retain excess precipitation.
One thing that really strikes me as interesting is just how shallow it is. We have had lots of rainfall lately in large bursts and while it has not exactly been pouring everyday, I would expect a higher water level from the rainfall.
To the average person walking around campus, this seems like just another pond, maybe with some fish. This made the gears in my mind begin to turn: what would happen if it was not there? How would campus be different? Would we not be able to drive on some roads during heavy rainfall? Would students not be able to attend class? Would deliveries not get made on time? As an economics major, the simple idea of a small disruption to the ecosystem has me thinking about all the ripple effects in our daily lives not having a storm water pond could cause.
When I see this photo, I feel a sense of security knowing that we as a group can always continue our battle against Mother Nature. I think this picture is about the value we place on simple things like storm ponds that help us, quietly and behind the scenes, live our daily lives.