Compact bioretention cell for urban stormwater management: Assessment of hydrologic, hydraulic, and water quality performance via laboratory and SWMM modelling

Bioretention cells (BRCs) are widely implemented to restore undeveloped hydrologic cycle; however, conventional BRCs need considerable surface area, limiting their applicability in densely populated areas. Compact BRCs like Filterra® have been designed to provide comparable hydrologic and pollutant removal effectiveness with a smaller footprint. The hydraulic characteristics of Filterra’s engineered media were assessed through laboratory testing using KSAT and HYPROP devices and integrates these results with field monitoring to implement a field-validated storm water management model (SWMM). Laboratory result showed a hydraulic conductivity of 1750 mm/h. The validated SWMM model replicated the outflow dynamics with satisfactory accuracy (KGE > 0.35, R 2 > 0.47) as well as the total suspended solids (TSS) removal is suitably predicted (R 2 = 0.83). Results demonstrate that the field-validated SWMM model can be used to evaluate both hydrologic performance and pollutant TSS removal efficiency of compact BRCs, while noting its limitations in representing complex TSS dynamics. • BRC’s media laboratory tests show saturated hydraulic conductivity of 1750 mm/h. • Compact BRC parameters are set up in SWMM through laboratory tests and field data. • SWMM suitably reproduces the Compact BRC’s hydrologic-hydraulic response. • Compact BRC’s TSS removal is effectively predicted using a constant SWMM removal rate.