The Benefits of Swales

Swales, the natural water management solution

Swales are shallow, broad and vegetated channels designed to store and/or convey runoff water. Swales slow down the water flow to allow sedimentation, particles filtration through the root zone, infiltration into the underlying native soil. They are mainly used for roadway drainage. A dry swale may incorporate a perforated pipe underdrain system or be built on a permeable soil. Using swales offers advantages as they are easy to incorporate in the landscape and manage runoff water volumes with low maintenance costs. They can be chosen as best management practice for roads & highways, urban streets, car parks, logistic platforms, airports and service stations. Opting for swales reduces impervious surfaces, enhances the natural landscape as well as biodiversity, and provide attractive public open spaces. The main concern is the risk of contamination of the groundwater by pollutants like hydrocarbons carried by runoff water from urban, trafficked roads.

Designing swales with the TenCate GeoClean® aquatextile is a means of ensuring in all configurations and with any type of soil, a systematic treatment of the infiltrated water from the carried hydrocarbons.

The added value of aquatextiles 

Why use our TenCate GeoClean® aquatextile in swales?

  • Stable performance in all weather conditions (dry period, large storm volumes)
  • Homogenous retention properties across the whole swale area, independent of the soil properties or heterogeneities
  • The water reservoir in its white bottom layer allows the biodegradation to run over longer dry periods
  • Compatible with vegetation and roots

Installing TenCate GeoClean® aquatextile

Installing TenCate GeoClean® aquatextile in the swales structure is a systematic solution that improves and secures the preliminary water treatment of vegetation and top soil and making swales as one of the performing alternative stormwater management solution well integrated in our environment



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