Bioswales

[YEG imagineer]

Noticed this a few weeks ago on 122nd St west of the U of A farm. There are two of these on the east side of 122nd St. Like mini storm water ponds except the storm water drain is about 30 cm above the low portion. If it is a bioswale, is this the first in Edmonton. And is it the city or the U of A that built it. I think this is great and should be in more places.

 

[northlands]

Trumpeter has bioswales, believe those were worked in given its proximity to Big Lake iirc.

 

[thommyjo]

Is there a certain amount of rainfall that would make bioswales more valuable to have than not? In a place like the Pacific Northwest, they seem like no brainers. But here, do they make sense? We do get very heavy rainfalls though when it does rain, and how do they play into spring melts?

I think some of our river valley MUPs would benefit from something like bioswales to help with runoff, erosion, and damage to paths. Mackinnon ravine gets trashed every spring for example.

 

[JuliallThat]

Is there a certain amount of rainfall that would make bioswales more valuable to have than not? In a place like the Pacific Northwest, they seem like no brainers. But here, do they make sense? We do get very heavy rainfalls though when it does rain, and how do they play into spring melts?

I think some of our river valley MUPs would benefit from something like bioswales to help with runoff, erosion, and damage to paths. Mackinnon ravine gets trashed every spring for example.

My understanding in how you would set up a bioswale here, is just plantings that are resilient and tolerant of periodic flooding, and snow melt and run off, as opposed to plants that depend on being inundated for long periods. The goal is just to have the ground reabsorb the moisture locally, the plantings are only there to take advantage of the water and look pretty, they're not necessary to the bioswale's intended function.

If designed as such, a bioswale can function anywhere.