Pipe protection from tree roots

[Hoagie]

The situation: I have some (perf)piping is within bioretention areas that will also support future tree plantings. We are expecting that some root intrusion will occur, eventually.

Any advice, methods, or products for protecting perforated piping from shallow tree root intrusion?

 

[cvg]

limit the plantings to non deep-rooted species. Under no circumstance should you allow cottonwoods or other invasive species.

 

[blueoak]

You can direct tree roots with different barriers and structural soil choices. However, anything that works to prevent roots will keep out the water too. You might consider designing a gravel fill to handle the flows and add the perf pipe as a bonus. My experience has been that roots plug pipes, but gravel and cobbles will continue to work. Just protect your gravel with a good filter design and from surface dirt getting in.

CVG is right about cottonwoods and pipes, but when modeling evapo losses cottonwoods use more water than wetlands or rice.

 

[oldestguy]

For what it is worth, try copper pipe.

A put copper against the inner zone of a root and it dies right there.

Trees don't like copper and at the sharp edge of a slot or a drilled hole this contact of inner body of a root with copper will occur.

However, your project may have other stuff that copper affects.

Price is high these days.

 

[TerryScan]

I'm surprised any trees are being planted in a bioretention area. The typical soil matrix I am familiar with is rather light. I envision trees being prone to falling in storms and tearing up the facility. I am more accustomed to seeing bushes and small plants in bioretention.

 

[blueoak]

I can just see your regulator loving copper pipe. Bioretention is typically for stormwater quality. Back East and in the Upper west coast they are disconnecting old copper downspouts.

Trees should be great for bioretention. They typically keep infiltration in a area high. The roots and deeper penetration often give a better soil development.

Small bioretention in parking areas you may want to be careful because with all of the compaction Terryscan is right in that the pretty shallow sandy mix will not be enough. However, if your deeper soils are not overcompacted trees should be fine.

 

[rconner]

Just looking for an education here -- was just curious what the statement, "Back East and in the Upper west coast they are disconnecting old copper downspouts" is getting at in the context of this thread and the previous recommendations?

 

[blueoak]

rconnor,
I have seen bioretention used in the context of stormwater quality. Oldestguy mentions that copper can be used to protect pipes from root intrusion. Whereas this has some definite merit, as a stormwater quality treatment device it would probably not be acceptable to the local authorities. Some municipalities are concerned with copper to the degree that they require a retrofit or other changes to copper downspouts.

 

[rconner]

thanks (I thought I had heard that some downspouts had been disconnected to try to reduce volume of or direction going into some underground systems, but I was not previously aware that this was being done due to a concern for quality of water going through or discharging from copper pipes)