Prepared by the Standards Committee on Fitting of Hydraulic Conductivity Using Statistical Spatial Estimation of the Standards Development Council of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute of ASCE

Standard Guideline for Infiltration-based Stormwater Control Measures for Permeable Soils, ASCE/EWRI 79-26, provides comprehensive guidance for infiltration-based stormwater control measures (SCMs) for permeable soils and addresses their design, installation, and operation and maintenance. This standard focuses on three types of widely used SCMs: dry wells, vegetated (grassy) swales, and infiltration trenches. These structural practices capture urban stormwater runoff, promote infiltration into permeable soils, support groundwater recharge, and help remove or degrade pollutants within the unsaturated zone.

This standard outlines key design considerations essential to effective SCM performance, including soil properties, infiltration rate estimation, climatic influences, groundwater protection, and selection of an appropriate design basis. It presents detailed methodologies for estimating capacities and typical configurations for dry wells, vegetated (grassy) swales, and infiltration trenches, along with approaches for evaluating system capacity and optimizing SCM sizing. Additional chapters address installation procedures, operation and maintenance requirements of these SCMs, documentation, and performance assessment strategies.

Standard ASCE/EWRI 79-26 is a vital resource on the design, construction, and maintenance of SCMs for environmental engineers, stormwater professionals, and regulatory officials involved in sustainable stormwater management, infrastructure development, and water quality protection.