Bioretention

This article is about planted installations designed to capture and filter surface runoff through engineered soil (filter media).
For simple systems (typically without regulatory control), see Rain gardens.
For linear systems, which convey flow, but are otherwise similar see Bioswales.

These bioretention cells at Edwards Gardens in Toronto receive inflow from hydraulically connected permeable paving

Bioretention cell capturing and treating runoff from adjacent parking lot at the Kortright Centre, Vaughan.

Overview

Bioretention cells are one of the most well recognized form of low impact development (LID). They can fit into any style of landscape and encompass all mechanisms of action: infiltration, filtration and evapotranspiration.

Bioretention cells are an ideal technology for:

• Fitting functional vegetation into urban landscapes
• Treating runoff collected from nearby impervious surfaces

The fundamental components of a bioretention cell are:

• A 'filter bed' containing an engineered soil mix
• A storage layer of coarse aggregate
• Planting and a finishing surface layer (e.g. mulch)

Additional components may include:

• An underdrain to redistribute or remove excess water
• An impermeable membrane to prevent infiltration to soils below

Planning considerations

Space

• For optimal performance bioretention facilities should receive runoff from between 5 to 20 times their own surface area.
• In the conceptual design stage it is recommended to set aside approximately 10 - 20 % of a catchment area to the bioretention facility.
• Bioretention cells work best when distributed, so that no one facility receives runoff from more than 0.8 Ha.

Although, there is a trade off to be considered regarding distributed collection and treatment against ease of maintenance.

• Bioretention can be almost any shape, from very curving, soft edges with variable depth, to angular, hard sided and uniform depth.

For ease of construction and to ensure that the vegetation has adequate space, cells should be no narrower than 0.6 m at any point.

The maximum width of a facility is determined by the reach of the construction machinery, which must not be tracked into the cell.

Infiltration

Some form of stormwater landscaping (bioretention) can be fitted into most spaces. One of the key decisions is whether to infiltrate all of some of the collected water into the native soil. Although there are some constraints to infiltrating water, it is preferable to do so where possible. Partial infiltration facilities are a popular choice over 'tight' soils (infiltration ≤ 15 mm/hr).

Types of bioretention by underground design

Type	Gravel layer	Underdrain	Liner	Mechanisms	Schematic
Rain gardens	-	-	-	These are the simplest construction, often used by residents or community groups. Volume reduction is through infiltration and evapotranspiration.
Infiltrating bioretention	yes	-	-	This is a highly desirable type of bioretention where the soils permit infiltration at a great enough rate to empty the facility between storm events. Volume reduction is primarily through infiltration to the underlying soils, with some evapotranspiration. As there is no outflow from this BMP, it is particularly useful in areas where nutrient management is a concern to the watershed.
Partially infiltrating bioretention	yes	yes	-	Including an underdrain in the gravel storage layer help to empty the facility between storm events, even over ‘tight soils’. The drain discharges to a downstream point, which could be an underground infiltration facility. Limited volume reduction is gained through infiltration and evapotranspiration. By raising the outlet of the discharge pipe the bottom portion of the BMP can only drain through infiltration. This creates a fluctuating anaerobic/aerobic environment which promotes denitrification. Increasing the period of storage has benefits for promoting infiltration, but also improves water quality for catchments impacted with nitrates. A complimentary technique is to use fresh wood mulch, which also fosters denitrifying biological processes.
Biofilters (non-infiltrating)	yes	yes	yes	This type may be required over contamination hot-spots or in very dense urban areas with a lot of other underground infrastructure. The design includes an impermeable base and sides, so that volume reduction is made only through evapotranspiration. This type of cell can be constructed above grade in any waterproof and structurally sound container, e.g. in cast concrete or a metal tank.

Inlets and pretreatment options

Options for pretreatment include:

• A gravel diaphragm for sheet flow
• Vegetated filter strips for sheet flow
• A forebay for concentrated overground flow
• An oil and grit separator for concentrated underground flow

Simple (non-treating) inlets include:

• Sheet flow from a depressed curb
• One of more curb cuts
• Covered drains

Design

Sizing

Bioretention cells should be sized to accommodate runoff from approximately 5 to 20 times the footprint area of the facility. i.e. I/P ratio of 5 to 20.

Equations and a tool to help with sizing infiltration practices

Plant Selection

1. Exposure to roadway or parking lot runoff

• Select salt tolerant grasses, other herbaceous material and shrubs.
• These can take on several forms, including parking lot islands, traffic islands, roundabouts, or cul-de-sacs and are often used as snow storage locations.

1. No exposure to roadway or parking lot runoff

• Practices allow for a greater range of species selection.
• These receive runoff from rooftops or areas that use no deicing salt and have low pollutant exposure, such as courtyard bioretention.

Other selection factors:

• Most bioretention cells will be situated to receive full sun exposure. The ‘Exposure’ column in the master plant list identifies the sun exposure condition for each species.
• Facilities with a deeper media bed (greater than 1 m) provide the opportunity for a wider range of plant species (including trees).
• The inclusion of vegetation with a variety of moisture tolerances ensures that the bioretention cell will adapt to a variety of weather conditions.
• Proper spacing must be provided for above-ground and below-ground utilities, and adjacent infrastructure.

See Plant standards for specific plant species and sizes.

Incentives and credits

In Ontario

City of Mississauga
The City of Mississauga has a stormwater management credit program which includes RWH as one of their recommended site strategies [1].

LEED BD + C v. 4

Sustainable sites: Rainwater management (up to 3 points)

• Two points (or 1 point for Healthcare) will be awarded if the project manages "the runoff from the developed site for the 95th percentile of regional or local rainfall events."
  
• Three points (or 2 points for Healthcare) will be awarded if the project manages "the runoff from the developed site for the 98th percentile of regional or local rainfall events."
  

OR

• For zero-lot-line projects only, 3 points (or 2 points for Healthcare) will be awarded if the project manages "the runoff from the developed site for the 85th percentile of regional or local rainfall events."

See also

• Bioswales
• Rain gardens
• Trees

The portion of water precipitated onto a catchment area, which then flows as surface discharge from the catchment area past a specified point.

Water from rain, snow melt, or irrigation that flows over the land surface.

The engineered soil component of bioretention cell or dry swale designs, typically with a high rate of infiltration and designed to retain contaminants through filtration and adsorption to particles.

A shallow excavated surface depression containing prepared filter media, mulch, and planted with selected vegetation.

An alternative practice to traditional impervious pavement, prevents the generation of runoff by allowing precipitation falling on the surface to infiltrate through the surface course into an underlying stone reservoir and, where suitable conditions exist, into the native soil.

A shallow excavated surface depression containing prepared filter media, mulch, and planted with selected vegetation.

A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

Low Impact Development. A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

The slow movement of water into or through a soil or drainage system.

Penetration of water through the ground surface.

The technique of removing pollutants from runoff as it infiltrates through the soil.

The quantity of water transpired (given off). Retained in plant tissues, and evaporated from plant tissues and surrounding soil surfaces. Quantitatively it is usually expressed in terms of depth of water per unit area during a specified period. e.g. mm/day

The combined loss of water to the atmosphere from land and water surfaces by evaporation and from plants by transpiration.

A hard surface area (e.g., road, parking area or rooftop) that prevents or retards the infiltration of water into the soil.

The land draining to a single reference point (usually a structural BMP); similar to a subwatershed, but on a smaller scale.

The slow movement of water into or through a soil or drainage system.

Penetration of water through the ground surface.

The natural ground material characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin.

A perforated pipe used to assist the draining of soils.

Best management practice. State of the art methods or techniques used to manage the quantity and improve the quality of wet weather flow. BMPs include: source, conveyance and end-of-pipe controls.

The drainage area of a river.

An area of land that drains into a river or a lake. The boundary of a watershed is based on the elevation (natural contours) of a landscape.

A perforated pipe used to assist the draining of soils.

Refers to the conditions in which an organism lives and survives or the conditions in which an organism resides. These conditions can be described as aspects of a “physical”, “social” or an “economic” environment, depending on the perspective perceived by the observer.

a top dressing over vegetation beds that provides suppresses weeds and helps retain soil moisture in bioretention cells, stormwater planters and dry swales.

Initial capturing and removal of unwanted contaminants, such as debris, sediment, leaves and pollutants, from stormwater before reaching a best management practice; Examples include, settling forebays, vegetated filter strips and gravel diaphragms.

The ratio of the impervious catchment (drainage) area to the pervious (footprint) area of the receiving BMP.

Rainwater harvesting.