Bioretention

Bioretention for Research and Education

The cells were constructed to treat runoff from a 1-acre area from a heavily-used University parking lot.  Before the construction, the runoff flowed as a sheet directly to Campus Creek and the Paint Branch.  

     Each cell was excavated.

The cells were lined with a geotextile to keep water from infiltrating or exfiltrating.  This was to obtain a complete mass balance on pollutants.  

     Underdrains were added along the length and covered with gravel and a filter membrane.

     A mixture of sand and newspaper was added to the denitrification cell

     The inlet and channels were constructed for monitoring

     The Thlaspi hyperaccumulators were planted

     The remaining vegetation was added.