Surface water mitigation structure

Abstract

A surface water mitigation structure suitable for use in the storage and treatment of contaminated surface water runoff. The runoff is processed through a multi-layered filtration and treatment system wherein the first layer is one or more permeable layers that is pervious enough to allow liquid runoff to pass through it and into a porous storage medium second layer that includes one or more remediating agents, and wherein the effluent from the surface water mitigation structure can be discharged to the ground, the surface, and/or a drainage system reduced or free of contaminants.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A surface water mitigation structure comprising:
 a) a cavity; said cavity is at least 3 inches deep;   b) a permeable layer; said permeable layer is pervious and porous; said permeable layer is configured to allow water to pass through said permeable layer at a rate of at least 0.25 inches of water per square foot per hour; said permeable layer is formed of I) a permeable rigid composite; said permeable rigid composite including base material and binder; said base material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of limestone, shale, slate, sandstone, quartz, feldspar, dolomite, obsidian, mica, diorite, flint, granite, stone, metal, glass, rubber, ceramic, plastic, recycled concrete, recycled asphalt, expanded shale, expanded slate, recycled plastic, and recycled metal; said binder is used to at least partially bond together said base material; said permeable rigid composite having a composition and thickness to support a load on a top surface of said rigid permeable composite of at least 50 lbs./ft. 2  without breaking or cracking under such load; said base material constituting at least 55 wt. % of said permeable rigid composite; said binder constituting at least 5 wt. % of said permeable rigid composite; a total weight percent of said base material and said binder constitutes 90-100 wt. % of said permeable rigid composite; or II) a porous flexible layer and a support layer; said porous flexible layer positioned on or above a top surface of said support layer; said porous flexible layer configured to allow water to pass through said porous flexible layer at a rate of at least 0.25 inches of water per square foot per hour; said porous flexible layer having a thickness of at least 0.1 inches; a thickness of said porous flexible layer less than a thickness of said support layer; said porous flexible layer formed of a different material than said support layer; said porous flexible layer having a flexibility at least 30% greater than a flexibility of said support layer; said porous flexible layer partially or fully formed of A) a porous fiber mesh material, B) a porous flexible polymer sheet, or C) a porous flexible rubber sheet; and   c) a porous storage medium layer positioned beneath said permeable layer; said porous storage medium layer comprising a first storage medium component that is a water-absorbent material; said first storage medium component includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of limestone, shale, slate, expanded shale, and expanded slate; and   
       wherein at least a portion of a top surface of said permeable layer is in fluid communication with said porous storage medium layer to allow water on a top surface of said permeable layer to flow into said porous storage medium layer. 
     
     
         22 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said porous storage medium layer includes one or more remediating agents; said one or more remediating agents are 0.1-40 vol. % of said porous storage medium layer. 
     
     
         23 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said porous storage medium layer is configured such that one cubic yard of porous storage medium layer can retain more than 10 gallons of water; said first storage medium component having an average particle size of 0.01-200 mm; a thickness ratio of said permeable layer to said porous storage medium layer is 1:1-20. 
     
     
         24 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 22 , wherein said porous storage medium layer is configured such that one cubic yard of porous storage medium layer can retain more than 10 gallons of water; said first storage medium component having an average particle size of 0.01-200 mm; a thickness ratio of said permeable layer to said porous storage medium layer is 1:1-20. 
     
     
         25 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 21 , further including a watertight barrier at least partially surrounding sides of said porous storage medium; said watertight barrier designed to prevent fluid flow into an exterior environment due to flow flowing through a side of said porous storage medium alongside which said watertight barrier is positioned. 
     
     
         26 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 24 , further including a watertight barrier at least partially surrounding sides of said porous storage medium; said watertight barrier designed to prevent fluid flow into an exterior environment due to flow flowing through a side of said porous storage medium alongside which said watertight barrier is positioned. 
     
     
         27 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said permeable layer is said permeable rigid composite; said binder includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of epoxy, urethane, polyurethane, acrylic, styrene, butadiene, and silicone. 
     
     
         28 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 26 , wherein said permeable layer is said permeable rigid composite; said binder includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of epoxy, urethane, polyurethane, acrylic, styrene, butadiene, and silicone. 
     
     
         29 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 27 , wherein said permeable rigid composite has a composition and thickness to support a load on a top surface of said rigid and permeable composite capstone layer of least 300 lbs./ft. 2  without breaking under such load and has a deflection under such load of less than 5%; a thickness ratio of said permeable rigid composite to said porous storage medium is at least 1:1.2; said permeable rigid composite having a thickness of 0.1-5 inches. 
     
     
         30 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said permeable rigid composite has a composition and thickness to support a load on a top surface of said rigid and permeable composite capstone layer of least 300 lbs./ft. 2  without breaking under such load and has a deflection under such load of less than 5%; a thickness ratio of said permeable rigid composite to said porous storage medium is at least 1:1.2; said permeable rigid composite having a thickness of 0.1-5 inches. 
     
     
         31 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 27 , wherein said permeable rigid composite includes 10-20 wt. % of a binder, and less than about 2 wt. % of an additive; said first particles include concrete and said second particle includes rubber; said water-absorbent material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of expanded shale and expanded slate. 
     
     
         32 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 30 , wherein said permeable rigid composite includes 10-20 wt. % of a binder, and less than about 2 wt. % of an additive; said first particles include concrete and said second particle includes rubber; said water-absorbent material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of expanded shale and expanded slate. 
     
     
         33 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 31 , wherein said permeable rigid composite includes said additive; said additive includes silane. 
     
     
         34 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 32 , wherein said permeable rigid composite includes said additive; said additive includes silane. 
     
     
         35 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said permeable layer includes said porous flexible layer and said support layer; said porous flexible layer is configured to allow water to pass through said porous flexible layer at a rate of at least 0.25 inches of water per square foot per hour; said porous flexible layer has a thickness of at least 0.1 inches; said porous flexible layer is formed of a different material than said support layer; said porous flexible layer has a flexibility that is at least 30% greater than a flexibility of said support layer. 
     
     
         36 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 26 , wherein said permeable layer includes said porous flexible layer and said support layer; said porous flexible layer is configured to allow water to pass through said porous flexible layer at a rate of at least 0.25 inches of water per square foot per hour; said porous flexible layer has a thickness of at least 0.1 inches; said porous flexible layer is formed of a different material than said support layer; said porous flexible layer has a flexibility that is at least 30% greater than a flexibility of said support layer. 
     
     
         37 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 35 , wherein said support layer includes a plurality of pieces of support material connected together by an interlocking arrangement. 
     
     
         38 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 36 , wherein said support layer includes a plurality of pieces of support material connected together by an interlocking arrangement. 
     
     
         39 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 37 , wherein said support material includes a plurality of openings there through; an average size of said plurality of openings in said support layer is less than said average particle size of said porous storage medium layer. 
     
     
         40 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 38 , wherein said support material includes a plurality of openings there through; an average size of said plurality of openings in said support layer is less than said average particle size of said porous storage medium layer. 
     
     
         41 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said surface water mitigation structure is configured to form a surface of one of a roadway, a parking lot, a sidewalk, a cart path, a bicycle path, a horse stall, a drainage basin, an animal shelter, an animal stall, a barn, a stable, or a kennel. 
     
     
         42 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 34 , wherein said surface water mitigation structure is configured to form a surface of one of a roadway, a parking lot, a sidewalk, a cart path, a bicycle path, a horse stall, a drainage basin, an animal shelter, an animal stall, a barn, a stable, or a kennel. 
     
     
         43 . The surface water mitigation structure as defined in  claim 40 , wherein said surface water mitigation structure is configured to form a surface of one of a roadway, a parking lot, a sidewalk, a cart path, a bicycle path, a horse stall, a drainage basin, an animal shelter, an animal stall, a barn, a stable, or a kennel. 
     
     
         44 . A method for using a surface water mitigation structure to at least partially remove contaminants; said method comprises:
 a) providing a surface water mitigation structure; said surface water mitigation structure comprising:
 i) a cavity; said cavity is at least 3 inches deep; 
 ii) a permeable layer; said permeable layer is pervious and porous; said permeable layer is configured to allow water to pass through said permeable layer at a rate of at least 0.25 inches of water per square foot per hour; said permeable layer is formed of I) a permeable rigid composite; said permeable rigid composite including base material and binder; said base material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of limestone, shale, slate, sandstone, quartz, feldspar, dolomite, obsidian, mica, diorite, flint, granite, stone, metal, glass, rubber, ceramic, plastic, recycled concrete, recycled asphalt, expanded shale, expanded slate, recycled plastic, and recycled metal; said binder is used to at least partially bond together said base material; said permeable rigid composite having a composition and thickness to support a load on a top surface of said rigid permeable composite of at least 50 lbs./ft. 2  without breaking or cracking under such load; said base material constituting at least 55 wt. % of said permeable rigid composite; said binder constituting at least 5 wt. % of said permeable rigid composite; a total weight percent of said base material and said binder constitutes 90-100 wt. % of said permeable rigid composite; or II) a porous flexible layer and a support layer; said porous flexible layer positioned on or above a top surface of said support layer; said porous flexible layer configured to allow water to pass through said porous flexible layer at a rate of at least 0.25 inches of water per square foot per hour; said porous flexible layer having a thickness of at least 0.1 inches; a thickness of said porous flexible layer less than a thickness of said support layer; said porous flexible layer formed of a different material than said support layer; said porous flexible layer having a flexibility at least 30% greater than a flexibility of said support layer; said porous flexible layer partially or fully formed of A) a porous fiber mesh material, B) a porous flexible polymer sheet, or C) a porous flexible rubber sheet; and 
 iii) a porous storage medium layer positioned beneath said permeable layer; said porous storage medium layer comprising a first storage medium component that is a water-absorbent material; said first storage medium component includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of limestone, shale, slate, expanded shale, and expanded slate; 
 and wherein at least a portion of a top surface of said permeable layer is in fluid communication with said porous storage medium layer to allow water on a top surface of said permeable layer to flow into said porous storage medium layer. 
 and wherein at least a portion of said surface mitigation structure is positioned in said cavity; and 
   b) at least partially removing contaminates ion a fluid as said fluid at least partially flows through said surface mitigation structure.   
     
     
         45 . The method as defined in  claim 45 , wherein said surface water mitigation structure is configured to form a surface of one of a roadway, a parking lot, a sidewalk, a cart path, a bicycle path, a horse stall, a drainage basin, an animal shelter, an animal stall, a barn, a stable, or a kennel.