The next project in our Construction Spotlight series is the Geneva Bioretention Pilot Project in Bellingham, WA.
Project: Geneva Bioretention Pilot Project
Location: Whatcom County, WA
Best management practices: High Performance Bioretention Soil Media (HPBSM) Bioretention Swales
Acres Managed: 60.75
Community Benefit: Improve water quality of Lake Whatcom, drinking water source
Construction completion date: November 2023
Project Summary: This project aims to improve the water quality of runoff flowing into Lake Whatcom by reconstructing a series of underutilized bioretention swales in Whatcom County’s Geneva neighborhood using a novel flow distribution system and Ecology’s new High-Performance Bioretention Soil Media (HPBSM). This project is partially funded by an Ecology grant and will test whether the performance of HPBSM observed in the lab can be replicated in a large-scale treatment facility using the same specifications. In addition, this project will function as a case study for implementation of the HPBSM specification and will document the HPBSM material costs, procurement, and the installation process. Construction was completed in November 2023 and facility monitoring is ongoing.