TigerStream 1: Infiltration Swales, Parker Austin

Abstract: Infiltration swales are designed to manage stormwater runoff volumes generated by highways while mimicking the pre-development hydrology of a site through infiltration processes. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has implemented infiltration swales as a stormwater management practice across the state; however, the performance of these swales has exhibited variability. To address this variability, ALDOT partnered with Auburn University to develop a modified infiltration swale design based on the existing ALDOT standard, and to construct field-scale swales to perform controlled experiments and evaluate their infiltration performance.

Bio: Parker Austin is a graduate research assistant pursuing a master’s degree in civil engineering at Auburn University. His research focuses on the design and evaluation of field-scale infiltration swales for roadway stormwater management. He has received a bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from Florida State University in 2022.