Swales are vegetated water conveyance systems that filter pollutants from stormwater runoff. Typically, they are shallow and are not designed to handle a large amount of water. In addition, they are usually fairly flat and are planted with native species, as they are more resistant to high water flow. Swales are generally low maintenance and can be installed almost anywhere that development occurs.

Among the many benefits of vegetated swales, they provide stabilization and prevent erosion, cost less to install than traditional curbs and gutters and are much nicer to look at compared to concrete and asphalt.

The following are additional resources that outline the benefits of vegetated swales: 

• Massachusetts LID Toolkit
• Rice Creek best management practices
• Grassed swales