What is the difference between a bioswale and a rain garden?

What is the difference between a bioswale and a rain garden?

The main difference is that the bioswale moves water to somewhere else in the garden, while also allowing some (but not all) of it to infiltrate. A rain garden is specifically meant to increase infiltration. Bioswales are often used to convey water to a rain garden.

What is a Bioswale garden?

A ditch that cleanses water The bioswale garden is designed to slow and clean storm water runoff from the parking lot while providing an attractive landscape which is more ecologically-minded than traditional storm drain systems.

What plants go in a bioswale?

Bioswales are categorized by the type of vegetation used:

• Grassed swales are planted with turfgrass that is mowed.
• Vegetated bioswales can be planted with ornamental grasses, shrubs, perennials, or a combination of these.
• Xeriscape, or low water use, swales are useful in areas with hot summers or dry conditions.

Is a swale a rain garden?

Swales are different from rain gardens in that they filter water slowly while preventing flooding and other water excess issues. Rain gardens disperse water more quickly. Both are excellent conservation and management techniques but each has a specific location where they are most useful.

How effective are rain gardens?

Rain gardens are effective in removing up to 90% of nutrients and chemicals and up to 80% of sediments from the rainwater runoff. Compared to a conventional lawn, rain gardens allow for 30% more water to soak into the ground. Because rain gardens will drain within 12-48 hours, they prevent the breeding of mosquitoes.

How deep should a rain garden be?

between four and eight inches deep
A typical rain garden is between four and eight inches deep. A rain garden more than eight inches deep might pond water too long, look like a hole in the ground, and present a tripping hazard for somebody stepping into it.

How do you build a rain garden?

Create the rain garden by building a berm in a low spot in the yard, then build swales to channel runoff from the gutters and higher parts of the yard. The water is then absorbed into the soil through the network of deep plant roots. Use a mix of plants adapted to your area and to the different water depths.

What is a dry pond?

A dry pond is designed to hold water for a short period of time before allowing the water to discharge to a nearby stream. Dry ponds control peak flows of runoff, help improve water quality and lessen the effects of erosion. Between rain events, a dry pond looks like a large, grassy low area.

How do I pick a rain garden plant?

Just look for native species that naturally occur in river floodplains — those types can withstand periodic water inundation. When selecting your plant species, consider how the rain garden will look throughout the year and choose plants that have ecological or aesthetic value in different seasons.

How much do rain gardens cost?

The cost associated with installing residential rain gardens average about three to four dollars per square foot, depending on soil conditions and the density and types of plants used in the installation. Commercial, industrial and institutional site costs can range between ten to forty dollars per square foot.

What is the difference between a swale and a ditch?

A swale is like a ditch but it’s broad and shallow, and usually covered or lined with turfgrass or other vegetation. The purpose is to slow and control the flow of water to prevent flooding, puddling, and erosion and/or avoid overwhelming the storm drain system.

Do the rain gardens have standing water?

No. Because rain gardens are shallow and are only built on soils with sufficient drainage, they are designed to dry out before mosquitoes can reproduce. Will my rain garden have standing water? Rain gardens are designed to infiltrate water in about a day.

What is a bioswale in a rain garden?

Bioswale : a ditch associated with or connecting other stormwater infrastructure that has been planted with native plants. These tend to exist along property edges, by roads, or along rights of way. How do I build a rain garden or bioswale?

Where are the bioswales on the Richmond Greenway?

With community input and volunteer assistance, The Watershed Project constructs bioswales and rain gardens across Richmond and San Pablo, including a network of 14 bioswales and rain gardens along the Richmond Greenway. Join our dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers every Second Saturday on the Greenway to plant and maintain these projects!

How are rain gardens different from biofilters?

Not all biofilters, bioswales, or rain gardens are the same and may require plants that tolerate different extreme conditions. Bioswales constructed from native soils may retain water for days at a time if the underlying soils are clay or if drainage is limited by impermeable layers underneath.

Where can I put a bioswale in my yard?

These tend to be smaller than bioswales and can be placed near a downspout on your house or another area where you’ve noticed standing water. Bioswale : a ditch associated with or connecting other stormwater infrastructure that has been planted with native plants. These tend to exist along property edges, by roads, or along rights of way.