A new report published by the Science Policy Exchange analyzes green infrastructure performance for stormwater management. The report, Green Infrastructure, Lessons from Science and Practice, summarizes the hydraulic and water quality performance of eight different stormwater technologies: porous pavement, bioretention cells, detention ponds, green roofs, media filters, retention ponds, swales and wetlands. The performance data for these technologies was gathered from peer-reviewed literature and the International Stormwater Best Management Practice Database. Based on analysis of the data the report depicts the seasonal performance of the volumetric reduction of stormwater and the water quality improvement of each technology in terms of sediment removal and nutrient removal.
The study concludes by noting that the effectiveness of green infrastructure technologies vary by site, season, technology and stormwater event. The authors also describe the barriers and enabling factors to implementing green infrastructure projects.