Performance Assessment of Field-scale Dry Grass Swale with Shallow Substrate Layer

Abstract

A field-scale dry grass swale with impermeable bottom and shallow substrate layer was built in Shanghai, where the groundwater table is very high, to avoid groundwater pollution caused by runoff infiltration. The underdrain pipe of the facility was up bended to avoid outside water flowing backward because local ground elevation is very low. Performance of the facility under the actual precipitation conditions was evaluated in the rainy season of 2019. The average runoff volume reduction is 39.4%, and the peak flow is reduced effectively when rain intensity is lower than 8.0 mm ·h-1. Influent mass load reduction of TSS, COD, TP, and TN are 95.4%, 83.1%, 90.0%, and 57.7%, respectively. Wood chips in the substrate layer and the saturated zone are effective for denitrification during the wet and dry periods, respectively. Hydraulic loading rate and antecedent drying period are the main factors affecting denitrification. Improved influent quality combined with the storage volume supplied by the local urban river network could meet the goal of annual runoff volume reduction and annual pollution load removal in districts with high groundwater levels.