Bioswales
and Rain Gardens can be beautiful solutions to pollution.
Benefits of Bioswales and Rain
Gardens:
Improve water quality by
using soil, vegetation and microbes as a biological
filter
Reduce total volume of
stormwater runoff
Increase infiltration and
groundwater recharge
Provide an aesthetic
landscape feature and increases biodiversity and
provides habitat for wildlife
The before and after photos to
the right illustrate an urban retrofit of a bioswale in an
existing sodded drainage swell. The swale was planted
with native plants to provide an aesthetically-pleasing
landscape feature.
Compared to traditional curb and
gutter drainage systems, where stormwater is piped to a
stormwater pond, vegetated swales result in a 93% reduction
in TN and an 82% reduction in TP.
Slideshow of Bioswale
Construction
The slideshow shows the
step-by-step process of retrofitting a bioswale in a
urban drainage ditch. The project was generously
funded in part by Sarasota County's Neighborhood Grants
Program. We'd like to thank the Sarasota County Board
of Commissioners, Vickie French, Rob Wright and our other
fantastic partners who contributed their time and energy to
make this project happen.
Great
links for more information on Bioswales and Rain Gardens:
