Green Infrastructure: Swales can be an important tool for retention and detention of stormwater runoff. Because they utilize vegetation, swales provide additional benefits, including cleaner air, carbon sequestration, improved biological habitat, and aesthetic value.
Swales retain solids and associated pollutants by settling and filtering. A typical method for assessing the performance of of BMPs with underdrains is therefore measuring and comparing pollutant concentrations at the influent and effluent. If the swale is designed for infiltration, see Assessing the performance of bioretention.
Additional information on designing a monitoring network and performing field monitoring are found under Calculating credits based on field monitoring.
Related pages
- Terminology for swales (grass channels)
- Overview for dry swale (grass swale)
- Types of infiltration
- Types of filtration
- Design criteria for dry swale (grass swale)
- Construction specifications for dry swale (grass swale)
- Operation and maintenance of dry swale (grass swale)
- Assessing the performance of dry swale (grass swale)
- Calculating credits for dry swale (grass swale)
- Cost considerations for dry swale (grass swale)
- Case studies for dry swale (grass swale)
- Plants for swales
- Check dams for stormwater swales
- External resources for dry swale (grass swale)
- References for dry swale (grass swale)
- Requirements, recommendations and information for using dry swale (grass swale) without an underdrain in the MIDS calculator
- Requirements, recommendations and information for using dry swale (grass swale) with an underdrain in the MIDS calculator
- Requirements, recommendations and information for using swale side slope as a BMP in the MIDS calculator
- Dry swale (grass swale) and interesting websites