The city of Stamford Tuesday took a step toward curbing flooding, especially after what residents had to deal with in September 2021.

"We saw what happened after Hurricane Ida with flooding across our city," said Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons.

Simmons was joined by Rep. Jim Himes to announce the city's plans to create bioswales.

"We know that bioswales help reduce flooding and storm water runoff by 30%, so it’s a great way to keep our residents safe when there's storms. It's a way to keep our city more resilient," said Simmons.

Bioswales are trenches filled with soil, rocks and gravel to slow down rainwater and filter out pollutants. It includes vegetation to also help soak up water.

"We're really trying to capture that first flush, that first quarter-inch of precipitation that occurs on paved areas after the rain begins," said Tyler Theder, with Stamford Stormwater Management.

Bioswales are typically built near storm drains. The city received $1 million for the project.

"This is really a contribution to the cleanliness of the Long Island Sound and all that that means for our area, and environmentally Stamford will be identified as a real leader for how to do urban spaces," said Himes.

Bioswales have been successful in other states and are also being used in other cities in Connecticut. Stamford plans to put about 20 of these around the city over the next few months.

The mayor says the bioswales will also help to beautify local neighborhoods.