Swales: Gallery

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  Grass swale in CVC headquarters parking lot, Mississauga ON

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  Water distributed into a wide grass swale with a rock level spreader

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  Flow in this wide swale is being reduced by taller vegetation on some sections (See Manning's n)

Credit Valley Conservation

A shallow constructed channel, often grass-lined, which is used as an alternative to curb and channel, or as a pretreatment to other measures. Swales are generally characterized by a broad top width to depth ratio and gentle grades.

Vegetated, open channels designed to convey, treat and attenuate runoff. Design variations range from simple grass channels, which are designed primarily for conveyance to more complex treatment and volume reduction designs like enhanced grass swales, and dry swales or bioswales.

A shallow constructed channel, often grass-lined, which is used as an alternative to curb and channel, or as a pretreatment to other measures. Swales are generally characterized by a broad top width to depth ratio and gentle grades.