Banner

Stormwater BMP Demonstration: Vegetated Swale

In June 2010, the Juneau Watershed Partnership, with assistance from the Alaska Clean Water Actions program, installed a Vegetated Swale stormwater treatment BMP in the Mendenhall Valley, on Julep Street. This swale is design to treat runoff from snowmelt stockpiled during residental street snow management activity. The project was covered in an article in the Juneau Empire.

Snow from streets and driveways is commonly polluted with oil, gas, pet waste, sediment, de-icing chemicals, and road gravels spread to improve traction in winter. This swale is designed to slow runoff and promote inflitration before runoff enters a centralized stormdrain vault. Once runoff enters the stormdrain, it is conveyed to the Mendenhall River. Improving runoff water quality at this site will reduce the amount of pollution delivered to the Mendenhall River, a corridor for many anadromous and resident fish, as well as a migration route for fish entering or leaving Montana Creek, Mendenhall Lake, and Steep Creek.

Vegetated Swale in Construction

Vegetated Swale Design Plan View

Vegetated Swale design plan view

 

Vegetated Swale Completed