Bayfront Park's Natural Stormwater Filter
Bayfront Park in Longboat Key features bioswales that effectively filter stormwater and prevent flooding, outperforming average drainage ditches.
The park's plantings, including muhly grass, serve as a natural filter for water before it flows into Sarasota Bay, reducing flooding during heavy rains.
When rain falls on Longboat Key, the water either seeps into the groundwater or flows into Sarasota Bay or the Gulf, with each inch of rain accounting for over 71 million gallons of water on the 2,696-acre island.
The pretty pocket of plantings next to the tennis and pickleball courts may not garner a second look by parkgoers, but it serves an important function.
- Egrets graze and marine snails crawl in the park.
- Muhly grass strands sway in the wind.
- The park's natural filter reduces flooding during heavy rains.
Author's summary: Bayfront Park's bioswales effectively filter stormwater.