Bioretention Technology: Overview of Current Practice and Future Needs

Bioretention, or variations such as bioinfiltration and rain gardens, has become one of the most frequently used storm-water management tools in urbanized watersheds. Incorporating both filtration and infiltration, initial research into bioretention has shown that these facilities substantially reduce runoff volumes and peak flows. Low impact development, which has a goal of modifying postdevelopment hydrology to more closely mimic that of predevelopment, is a driver for the use of bioretention in many parts of the country. Research over the past decade has shown that bioretention effluent loads are low for suspended solids, nutrients, hydrocarbons, and heavy metals. Pollutant removal mechanisms include…