Bioretention media storage

box plot of nine documented bioretention media

Bioretention filter media may be assumed to have a storage capacity of 0.4.

This has been calculated as the difference between the media porosity and field capacity.

1. Marine sand: 0.51 - 0.06 = 0.45
2. Marine sand with 10 % compost: 0.51 - 0.11 = 0.40 </ref name=Liu>
3. Marine sand with 20 % compost: 0.53 - 0.12 = 0.41 </rev name=Liu>
4. Marine sand with 20 % compost & 20 % topsoil: 0.52 - 0.16 = 0.36 </rev name=Liu>

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

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

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.

The porosity (n) of a mixture is the ratio of the volume of void-space to the total or bulk volume of the mixture. It is closely related to the concept of void ratio (e) where void ratio is the ratio of the volume of void-space to the volume of solids. n = Volume of voids/Total volume of mixture = e/(1+e)

Mineral particles which are smaller than 2 mm, and which are free of appreciable quantities of clay and silt. Coarse sand usually designates sand grains with particle size between 0.2 and 0.02 mm.

Decayed organic material used as a plant fertilizer. Compost helps to support healthy plant growth through the slow release of nutrients and the retention of moisture in the soil.