Grassed Swales & Rip Rap
Introduction to Swales
Swales are one of the oldest and most common methods of urban drainage and stormwater control along property lines and adjacent to roadways. Grass swales are shallow, open channels with dense vegetation that collect stormwater from linear impervious surfaces.
Function of Grassed Swales
Stormwater management swales function similarly to ditches; however, they are typically wider, and the flow rate is slower and more controlled. Swales slow stormwater runoff, allowing the dense grass and vegetation to collect pollutants and reduce runoff velocity. This helps manage and prevent flooding and minimizes downstream erosion. Similarly, riprap swales are another stormwater control measure that facilitate infiltration. Riprap is of a layer of rocks across a channel or slope. Sometimes located inside a stormwater pond or at an outfall of a pipe to allow stormwater to slowly dissipate.
Function of Rip Rap
Similarly, riprap is a stormwater control measure (SCM) that slows the velocity of stormwater runoff. This SCM is a layer of rocks across a channel or slope. Sometimes located inside a stormwater pond or at an outfall of a pipe to allow stormwater to slowly dissipate.
Maintaining Aboveground Assets
Swales on Your Property
Swales are often chosen to slow the velocity of stormwater as they offer wildlife habitat and additional water quality benefits. Grass swale stormwater systems are versatile applications that effectively control light to moderate runoff. They are most beneficial as linear stormwater management systems near highways, roads, low-gradient lawns, median strips and anywhere stormwater flow control is necessary. Grassed swales and rip rap can even replace traditional curbs and gutters. In areas where vegetation may not withstand the velocity of stormwater, riprap may be implemented.
Some other advantages of a swale stormwater assets include:
- Pretreatment
- Runoff Reduction
- Erosion Control
- Low Maintenance
- Site Aesthetics and Beautification
Prolong The Life of Your Stormwater System
AQUALIS offers comprehensive maintenance and regular servicing solutions tailored to your property to ensure your stormwater systems operate correctly while extending the life of your investment and avoiding costly violations.
Systems We Maintain
Stormwater asset designed to hold a permanent volume of water at all times with extra capacity for rain events.
Stormwater asset designed to temporarily hold volumes of water during and shortly after a rain event.
Gabion Baskets
Stormwater asset that prevents erosion by stabilizing and retaining sediment.
Stormwater assets that utilize vegetation to mimic natural processes like infiltration.
Entry and exit points for stormwater conveyance.
Stormwater asset that allows for natural runoff infiltration to restore ground water supply.
Stormwater asset that disperses runoff along a concrete channel, reducing erosion.
How Stormwater Control Measures Improve Quality
Swales are designed with soil that allows water to infiltrate the ground, providing ground water recharge. Many SCMs utilize sunlight to facilitate evaporation and vegetation to facilitate denitrification.
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