Bioswales are landscape features designed to manage stormwater runoff effectively. They are small to medium sized buffer zones around the drainage pathways used to direct the water help to reduce runoff.
Feasibility & Local Applicability
Probable using local species, like Zoysia, Pangola, and Bahia grasses. Needs training, knowledge on calculating sizes, vegetation planning and management for discharge volumes, pollution loads, to prevent sediment build-up, eutrophication. Depending on design, could be used to contain erosive power of runoff water.
Co-benefits
Vegetation can filter lightly polluted water at the source along roads, paths, and build up areas. Potential sites include areas of vegetation or turf grass that enhance aesthetics, separate parking spaces from driving aisles, buffer different land uses, or serve as recreational open spaces. These landscaped areas can also offer valuable stormwater management benefits without compromising their primary purposes or greatly increasing maintenance costs. Vegetation absorbs large amounts of water, uptakes pollutants, and releases water vapor through transpiration. Plant roots promote infiltration and provide surface area for beneficial microbes that break down contaminants. Meanwhile, soils naturally filter runoff, removing pollutants before the water replenishes groundwater supplies. In addition to these environmental functions, vegetation provides shade, improves air quality, and offers habitat for wildlife.
Can relate to riparian vegetation, upstream afforestation, urban greening, to form a comprehensive network of green with a multitude of services.
Equity & Vulnerability Considerations
Bioswales are small measures and a relatively unobtrusive. Payment can be don through wastewater treatment fees. Bioswale construction works often best on public grounds (correct installment, maintenance).
Costs
Low
Literature
- Building a more Resilient and Low Carbon Caribbean Report 4: Infrastructure Resilience in the Caribbean through Nature Based Solutions
- Recommended Species for Rain Gardens, Bioswales, and Bioretention Cells in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands
- Shetty, N. H., Hu, R., Mailloux, B. J., Hsueh, D. Y., McGillis, W. R., Wang, M., ... & Culligan, P. J. (2019). Studying the effect of bioswales on nutrient pollution in urban combined sewer systems. Science of The Total Environment, 665, 944-958.