5 Benefits of Having a Bioswale in Your Yard

August 1, 2017

A bioswale is a multi-purpose rainwater management practice that offers an alternative that is environmentally friendly to storm sewers. They are green infrastructures that provide water quality benefits. Their purpose is to slow, collect, infiltrate, and filter the stormwater.

They reduce stormwater runoff while improving stormwater quality. Their design manages a specified amount of water from large impervious areas, maybe roadways and parking lots. Besides, they are vegetated with plants that can withstand both drought and the heavy watering. They are also treated with irrigation fabric to reduce soil erosion. Water from it can be used to water and beautify your home. With that said, they do have their other benefits to the homeowners.

1. Creates a home for wildlife and Reduces Flooding

They involve the plantation of vegetation around your home. It could be the typical grass, trees or an attractively designed flower garden in your yard. These plants provide the dwelling place for birds, butterflies, and even bees, which source nectar from flowers. It, in turn, beautifies your home with living organisms that are essential in an ecosystem. Besides, native plants provide a food source for these birds and insects.

However, with increased soil infiltration in bioswales, risks of flooding in your compound are greatly reduced hence improving the general quality of water. They are of great importance in areas that are susceptible to storms. Erecting them guarantees adequate environmental and home protection in respect to storms. Also, they reduce utility and maintenance costs of infrastructure in and around your residential property.

2. Reduces standing water that can attract mosquitoes

Stagnant water is a multiplying ground for mosquitoes and other harmful insects. The introduction of bioswales during storms reduces the stagnation, which, in turn, reduces the rate of mosquito multiplication, which keeps homeowners safe from diseases like malaria.

3. Requires little maintenance

Bioswale only requires establishment, and once actualized, there are no worries about how to take care of it. You do not require a landscaper to manage the yard. The plants grow naturally as their source of water is ample. Hence, it does not demand much of both time and money when you compare them with the conventional stormwater management systems.

4. Stormwater treatment and transference

They serve as water retainers. For this reason, they provide for early treatment of water in homes to remove sediments and contaminants. Also, this water could be piped to serve other home purposes such as cleaning or even undergo modern treatment methods to make it safe for consumption.

5. Creates a colorful environment

Colorful things are attractive, not only to the human eye but also to other living organisms. With the variety of flowers and plants in the bioswales through the year, the surroundings around your home are beautified and are of great attraction to both human beings and insects in the ecosystem. The insects act as pollination agents that ensure life in the bioswales does not cease. Moreover, it improves on your home’s air quality through improved carbon cycle circulation.

It is your duty as a homeowner to develop and improve every aspect of your home, including the environment around your property. Taking care of your surroundings is your obligation, and in the case of events beyond human control, it is necessary to work towards reducing their impact for the sake of your safety and that of your family. Use of bioswales is one such mechanism that has considerably helped in the conservation of stormwater and improvement of the environment. If you reside in an area prone to storms, it is advisable to erect a bioswale.