What are Bioswales and Their Benefits - City of Treasure Island Informative Video
Traditional stormwater infrastructure merely pipes and conveys runoff to an outfall. Gently sloped depressional areas, called bioswales, have been constructed along the outer edges of the East Causeway roadway to allow rainwater to flow off the driving surface and naturally percolate to recharge the groundwater table.
The bioswales will retain the “first flush” of stormwater collected during the beginning of a storm which contains the highest concentration of pollutants and debris. This water will be retained within the bioswales and allowed to infiltrate over a 72-hour period, then any remaining stormwater will flow to Boca Ciega Bay through existing and newly constructed conveyance pipes.
The bioswales have also been planted with Florida-native vegetation that assists in stormwater nutrient removal to improve the quality of water that is discharged to Boca Ciega Bay.