It's important to regard swales not just as a method of slowing and holding water but as a tree growing system. ... A mound or berm is used to plant trees downslope from the swale and a level sill spillway allows the water to passively flow to a predetermined area, such as another swale, a pond, much basin, etc.

Can you plant in a swale?

Plant a Garden Along the Edge

If your swale has a berm, this is a great place to plant flowers, trees or a vegetable garden. If not, you can plant along the sides of the swale to take advantage of soil moisture that will be present whenever the swale is performing its primary function of capturing and directing water.

What can you grow in a swale?

The bottom of the swale basin is only suitable for plants that thrive on high moisture levels, such as wetland species like reed and sedges. However, clover, most grasses, comfrey, and numerous other plants will tolerate the occasional inundation that occurs at the bottom of a swale.

Where should I plant on a swale?

Plant species at many of the ends of swales, ie at intersections; have grown to heights causing problems with sight lines. Vegetation in these areas needs to be reduced in height to allow vehicle and pedestrian sight lines to become clearer.

When should you not use swales?

Swales are not appropriate on steep landscapes. Any area with more than a fifteen-degree slope (about 1:3.75) isn't appropriate for installing swales, as the water saturation may cause slides, which could be dangerous.

Planting Trees On New Swale Ep 3

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Are swales effective?

Vegetated swales are most effective on soils that allow infiltration. If infiltration is desired, the underlying soil drainage rate should exceed 0.5 inches per hour. ... Drainage area and slope: Swales can be used to treat runoff from small drainage areas with up to 5 acres of impervious surface.

How close can a swale be to a house?

A: A swale is simply a shallow ditch that is used to carry off water. Swales are often so wide and so shallow that you do not notice them. On most city lots, where homes are 10 to 15 feet apart, there is a swale between the homes.

What is the purpose of a swale?

For many years they have been used along rural highways and residential streets to convey runoff. Today, swales not only convey stormwater but also help to treat runoff to reduce pollutants. Like ditches, swales collect stormwater from roads, driveways, parking lots and other hard surfaces.

What is the function of a swale?

The swale is vegetated with flood tolerant, erosion resistant plants. The design of grassed swales promotes the conveyance of storm water at a slower, controlled rate and acts as a filter medium removing pollutants and allowing stormwater infiltration.

Why are swales used?

Description. Swales are shallow, broad and vegetated channels designed to store and/or convey runoff and remove pollutants. They may be used as conveyance structures to pass the runoff to the next stage of the treatment train and can be designed to promote infiltration where soil and groundwater conditions allow.

How do you plant a swale tree?

Instead of having it run off the site, swales have the effect of slowing, spreading, and sinking the rain directly into the soil. Trees are always planted directly downhill of each swale, so that when it rains and the swales fill up, the rain sinks slowly into the soil directly into the roots of our trees.

How do you maintain a swale?

1. SUGGESTED MAINTENANCE ACTIONS.
2. MONTHLY.
3. • Inspect your swale during and after storms to make sure that rainwa- ter has drained and there is no erosion. • ...
4. SEASONALLY.
5. • Mow grass no shorter than 3 to 6 inches. Remove and compost all grass clippings. ...
6. AS NEEDED.
7. • Reseed bare areas to avoid erosion. ...
8. DO NOT:

What is Permaculture swale?

A permaculture swale is a technique that captures water in the landscape for passive irrigation and for slowing runoff. ... For many gardeners and farmers, catching rainwater in the landscape can be a low-maintenance way to irrigate and improve soil quality at the same time.

What is the difference between a ditch and a swale?

To put it simply, a ditch is made to carry water away and a swale is made to collect and slowly release water into the landscape.

Is a swale a rain garden?

The swales, used to run excess irrigation, were wetter than a typical rain garden, which is usually waterlogged for some time after rain and dry in between. The plants in the final selection were all drought tolerant as well. ... It was basically muddy ground, where the crown of the plant was not inundated by water.

Why is swale called swale?

Parts of it are a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I, National Nature Reserves, a Kent Wildlife Trust nature reserve and a Local Nature Reserve. The name "Swale" is Old English in origin, and is believed to mean "swirling, rushing river", or "rushing water". The Swale was originally part of a river.

What is swale soil?

Swales as used in permaculture are designed to slow and capture runoff by spreading it horizontally across the landscape (along an elevation contour line), facilitating runoff infiltration into the soil. This archetypal form of swale is a dug-out, sloped, often grassed or reeded "ditch" or "lull" in the landform.

How much does a swale cost?

Cost Considerations

Generally speaking, Vegetated Swales cost between $4.50 and $8.50 per linear foot when vegetated from seed, and $15 to $20 per linear foot when vegetated from sod. Annual maintenance costs will be around $1 per linear foot (seed) and $2 per linear foot (sod).

What is a synonym for Swale?

(also slew or slue), swamp, swampland, wash, wetland.

How do you drain a swale?

1. Step 1: Evaluate the Slope. Construction of a swale begins with analyzing the slope of the yard and water runoff patterns to plan the route for the swale ditch. ...
2. Step 2: Lay Out the Swale. ...
3. Step 3: Excavate the Swale Ditch. ...
4. Step 4: Lay Gravel and Drain Tile. ...
5. Step 5: Finish the Swale.

Can you build a house on a swale?

Creating a Swale

You can build a small swale yourself, but should hire a pro with earth-moving equipment for a long, wide one. Consult a landscape contractor or a civil engineer if you live near a bluff, have a septic tank nearby, or are on a slope that drops more than 1 foot over a horizontal distance of 20 feet.

What is a dry swale?

Dry swales, sometimes called grass swales, are similar to bioretention cells but are configured as shallow, linear channels. ... They typically have vegetative cover such as turf or native perennial grasses. Dry swales may be constructed as filtration or infiltration practices, depending on soils.

What is a vegetated swale?

A vegetated swale is an open channel that collects stormwater and allows it to infiltrate into the ground. The grass or plants covering the side slopes and bottom provide a filtration surface for the water and help slow the flow rate. Many swales have an underdrain pipe to manage larger storms.