Practical Insights on the Hydrological Response of Simulated Soil-Layered Low Impact Development (LID) Practices in Brazilian Tropical Regions

Previous studies regarding Low Impact Development (LID) practices used physical and hydraulic soil layer properties recommended by the literature for temperate climates in tropical climate locations; however, the effect of these properties on LID practices behaviour has still been unexplored. The study’s objective was to determine by modelling the effect of adopting LID practices soil layer properties according to recommendations for temperate climate in relation to those of two tropical soils determined in laboratory, and to evaluate a practical and low-cost way to obtain such properties, by using a pedotransfer function. The values of the soil’s physical and hydraulic properties influenced the hydrological response of LID practices. The adoption of values recommended by the literature should be carefully evaluated, since these may lead to significantly different results in relation to those that would be obtained considering the soils of the implementation area, especially those located in a different climate zone, such as tropical zone. LID practices that have drainage layer connected to an overflow, such as the bioretention cell, may compromise the detention and infiltration of the runoff, even in soils that have physical and hydraulic properties that would provide greater infiltration.