University of Calgary
Bioswale
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Bioswale cleans up 
Students, staff and faculty completed the campus' first bioswale over the summer.Students, staff and faculty are working together to clean up storm water on campus using a simple and environmentally friendly filtration system called a bioswale—a first on campus and one of only a handful in the city.This natural filtration system was constructed in campus parking lot 10 over the summer. The asphalt and the under-base of six parking spots in the lot were removed, a lining installed, dirt poured in and plants with the best chance of surviving Calgary’s ever-changing climate were planted. Now testing of the system is underway by U of C students. “This project allows faculties, students and staff to work collaboratively while utilizing the campus itself as a laboratory for learning,” says Joanne Perdue, director of the Office of Sustainability. “This is an innovative model that concurrently advances sustainability on campus, enhances student learning through real-life projects connected to their studies, and provides examples of best practice for the community at large.” Everyone involved will be keeping a keen eye on how the bioswale performs in the different seasons of the year and how easy it is to maintain. Once more is learned, a larger initiative across more parking lots on campus will be considered. As runoff from the parking lot moves into the bioswale, the biological processes in the swale help to filter out contaminants from the water. The cleaned water flows out of the bioswale and into the storm drains, which stream directly into the river. Nelson Wilcox, 27, a fourth-year civil engineering student with a minor in environmental engineering, is writing his thesis on the bioswale. Angus Chu, a Schulich School of Engineering professor and supervisor of the student research component of this project, has given Wilcox the task of ensuring the bioswale functions as it should. “There is no doubt that the bioswale reduces the intensity of flow of storm water into the sewer,” said Wilcox. “I’m still waiting for water quality enhancement data. A major realization so far is that testing water in muddy conditions can be dirty work. But no matter the mess, participating in a research project that interests me validates the importance of all the classes I have taken up to this point and helps me focus my interests.” For more information on the bioswale and other sustainability initiatives on campus, visit www.ucalgary.ca/sustainability.
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October 15, 2009