Infiltration basin

Caution: This section on infiltration basin includes information for infiltration trench and infiltration basin. We anticipate reorganizing this section and eventually having individual sections for infiltration trench, infiltration basin, and bioretention-bioinfiltration

Stormwater infiltration practices capture and temporarily store stormwater before allowing it to infiltrate into the soil. Design variants include; the infiltration basin, the infiltration trench, the dry well and the underground infiltration system. As the stormwater penetrates the underlying soil, chemical, biological and physical processes remove pollutants and delay peak stormwater flows.

Infiltration practices are applicable to sites with naturally permeable soils and a suitable distance to the seasonally high groundwater table, bedrock or other impermeable layer. They may be used in residential and other urban settings where elevated runoff volumes, pollutant loads, and runoff temperatures are a concern. In applications where the stormwater runoff has a particularly high pollutant load or where the soils have very high infiltration rates, a significant amount of pre-treatment should be provided to protect the groundwater quality. Sources that include potential stormwater hotspots (PSH) should not be introduced to Infiltration areas.

Infiltration basin articles

• Overview for Infiltration basin
• Design criteria for Infiltration basin
• Construction specifications for Infiltration basin
• Operation and maintenance of Infiltration basin
• Assessing the performance of infiltration
• Cost-benefit considerations for Infiltration basin
• Calculating credits for infiltration basin
• External resources for Infiltration basin
• References for infiltration
• Requirements, recommendations and information for using infiltration basin/underground infiltration BMPs in the MIDS calculator

• Fact sheet