By Richard Jackson, Lead Compliance Manager - Atlantic // 2021-01-21
Bioretention – Bioinfiltration Basin, also known as a Rain Garden, is a vegetated area used to treat stormwater before discharging from a site. Whether or not a retention or infiltration basin can be utilized still depends on the subsoils' predesign testing. These basins are great for sites because they can be constructed in any size, shape, and installed in any area that will be vegetated. They are highly versatile and are aesthetically appealing. With proper construction and design, these basins can remove approximately 80 to 90 percent of the Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of the stormwater entering the system**. The stormwater is treated by planting soil and vegetation before exiting the system downstream or into the subsoil. These can count towards the site's stormwater management requirements and look like landscaped areas with proper design. These basins usually require less maintenance than the typical management basins; however, they still require maintenance and regular inspection of their infrastructure.