West Virginia University will do its part to help alleviate storm water runoff problems created by existing University facilities and new development in the Suncrest area of Morgantown, University officials say.

This includes committing several acres of valuable property to build three water holding ponds near the future WVU Alumni Center, just down from the WVU hospital entrance.

We are very much committed to being a good neighbor,said Narvel Weese, WVU interim vice president for administration, finance and human resources.We intend to build ponds that we believe meetand even exceedrecommendations in a Morgantown Utility Board-commissioned report for our development.

WVU Associate Vice President for Facilities and Services Joe Fisher said the Universitys plan will take care of the water runoff from the stadium, hospital and related health care facilities and the new alumni center. The plan also includes extensive landscaping to keep the water runoff ponds attractive to residents and visitors to the city.We are planning on ponds that can hold a volume of 9 to 10 acre-feet,he said.Alpha Associates did an analysis for the University that looked at the increase in runoff from 1980 to now, and it recommended building ponds of about 9 acre-feet, based on a 25-year storm.

Both Weese and Fisher noted that WVU officials are keenly aware that the Universitys plan will not solve the entire problem in the area, and suggest that perhaps Suncrest residents contact other private developers in the area whose facilities have contributed to water runoff.

For example, the MUB -commissioned report, also known as the Strand report, recommends construction of an additional pond at the low point of Willowdale Road,Fisher said.I would urge residents to pursue this issue with MUB and private developers.

The MUB -commissioned report also recommends creating some water detention capability in Poponoe Run, along the area near the stadium known as the Pit.

WVU owns part of that land and a private developer the other,Fisher said.We believe that recommendation has merit, and the University would consider cost-sharing that project with the land owner and MUB should that be a priority of this group.

Under the law, WVU could legitimately decline to account for pre-existing development which is grandfathered in, Weese noted.

But WVU not only feels it has a responsibility, but an obligation, to go beyond the legal minimum and to do the right thing,Weese said.And that is what we plan to do.