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.
Related pages
- Terminology for swales
- Overview for wet swale (wetland channel)
- Types of filtration
- Design criteria for wet swale (wetland channel)
- Construction specifications for wet swale (wetland channel)
- Operation and maintenance of wet swale (wetland channel)
- Plants for swales
- Check dams for stormwater swales
- Calculating credits for wet swale (wetland channel)
- Cost considerations for dry swale (grass swale)
- External resources for wet swale (wetland channel)
- References for dry swale (grass swale)
- Requirements, recommendations and information for using wet swale in the MIDS calculator
- Requirements, recommendations and information for using swale side slope as a BMP in the MIDS calculator