Swales for water movement are either used in areas with poor soil infiltration rates, or the swale is designed so that the water moves in the swale instead of soaking into the ground. In that case there is usually an impervious layer, like engineered clay or a geotextile fabric, lining the swale to prevent infiltration.
Swales for infiltration are best for areas with soil that has a high infiltration rate. With a very gradual slope, a swale can move water and allow some infiltration into the ground. Using a swale for infiltration helps reduce the overall runoff from a property.
A third type of swale works in conjunction with a perforated drainpipe to move water underground. The swale-pipe combo functions like a trench that collects water on the surface; the water flows to the perforated drainpipe at the bottom of the trench and then finally along the sloped drain to move water. The combination swale is more common in areas with high rainfall and sites with large amounts of stormwater runoff.
from Houzz http://ift.tt/1zUGe7P
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