Evaluation and Optimization of Bioretention Media for Treatment of Urban Storm Water Runoff
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 131, Issue 11
Abstract
Bioretention is a relatively new urban storm water best management practice. The objective of this study is to provide insight on media characteristics that control bioretention water management behavior. Eighteen bioretention columns and six existing bioretention facilities were evaluated employing synthetic runoff. In columns, the runoff infiltration rate through different media mixtures ranged from 0.28 to at a fixed 15 cm head. For pollutant removals, the results showed excellent removal for oil/grease . Total lead removal (from 66 to ) decreased when the total suspended solids level in the effluent increased (removed from 29 to ). The removal efficiency of total phosphorus ranged widely (4–99%), apparently due to preferential flow patterns, and both nitrate and ammonium were moderate to poorly removed, with removals ranging from 1 to 43% and from 2 to 49%, respectively. Two more on-site experiments were conducted during a rainfall event to compare with laboratory investigation. For bioretention design, two media design profiles are proposed; , , , , , and removals are expected with these designs
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Acknowledgment
This work was supported by the Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET).
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 131 • Issue 11 • November 2005
Pages: 1521 - 1531
Copyright
© 2005 ASCE.
History
Received: Sep 23, 2003
Accepted: Feb 3, 2005
Published online: Nov 1, 2005
Published in print: Nov 2005
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