Infiltration basin

Recently completed infiltration basin for stormwater collection

An infiltration basin (or recharge basin) is a form of engineered sump[1] or percolation pond[2] that is used to manage stormwater runoff, prevent flooding and downstream erosion, and improve water quality in an adjacent river, stream, lake or bay. It is essentially a shallow artificial pond that is designed to infiltrate stormwater through permeable soils into the groundwater aquifer. Infiltration basins do not release water except by infiltration, evaporation or emergency overflow during flood conditions.[3][4][5]

It is distinguished from a detention basin, sometimes called a dry pond, which is designed to discharge to a downstream water body (although it may incidentally infiltrate some of its volume to groundwater); and from a retention basin, which is designed to include a permanent pool of water.

  1. ^ Fagin, Dan (2007). "Ancient, Clean, Controversial: Preserving deep reserves of water is LI's chief environmental issue" (PDF). Newsday. Melville, NY.
  2. ^ "Water Portal / Rainwater Harvesting / Groundwater recharge / Infiltration ponds".
  3. ^ Pekarek, Kathryn A.; et al. (2011). Stormwater Management: Terminology (PDF) (Report). University of Nebraska-Lincoln. p. 7. EC701. Extension Circular.
  4. ^ New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Trenton, NJ."New Jersey Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual." Archived 2008-05-13 at the Wayback Machine Chapter 9.5: Standard for Infiltration Basins. April 2004.
  5. ^ "Ch. 5: Description and Performance of Storm Water Best Management Practices". Preliminary Data Summary of Urban Storm Water Best Management Practices (Report). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). August 1999. EPA-821-R-99-012.