| Wednesday What's New: Bioretention Gardens |
|
|
| Written by Heleigh Bostwick Wednesday, 28 July 2010 | |||
 Bioretention gardens like the one that has been designed for Overland Park in Kansas City, are similar to rain gardens but are larger in size and geared toward urban storm water runoff as opposed to residential runoff. Like rain gardens, bioretention gardens are sited at a low point on the property. Bioretention gardens are often used in parking lots, which generate large quantities of storm water after a rainfall due to the impervious nature of the paving.  The site is graded so that water runs toward the low point that is planted with vegetation, typically herbaceous plants such as wildflowers, sedges, and grasses. The plants and associated soil act as filters to remove nitrates, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and bacteria in the storm water. Any water that is not taken up by the plants will enter a series of underground pipes and be channeled into the nearest watercourse. Photo sources: www.msstate.edu and www.opkansas.org |
|||
