What is the primary function of the inlet in a bioretention facility?

The primary function of the inlet in a bioretention facility is to allow stormwater runoff to enter the facility. The inlet is designed to capture and direct water flow from impervious surfaces such as roads and parking lots into the bioretention area. This is crucial for managing stormwater because it initiates the treatment process that occurs within the bioretention system. Once the water enters, it can then be filtered and treated through the various layers of soil and vegetation designed to improve water quality.

While filtering pollutants from the water and ensuring even dispersion of water across the site are important functions of the overall bioretention system, these processes occur after the water has successfully entered through the inlet. Storing stormwater runoff may also occur temporarily within the bioretention area itself but is not the inlet's direct role. Thus, recognizing that the inlet's primary responsibility is to facilitate the initial entry of stormwater into the bioretention facility is key to understanding its function in stormwater management.