September Char Talk: Biochar in Stormwater BMPs: From Research to Specifications

This month’s Char Talk, hosted by the Minnesota Biochar Initiative, features Myles Gray, Executive Director of the American Biochar Institute and a professional water resources engineer with more than 15 years of experience in biochar. Myles will explore how more than a decade of research is being translated into practical guidance for using biochar in stormwater design and implementation.

The session will introduce the recently released Biochar in Stormwater BMPs Guidebook, developed by the American Biochar Institute and the Center for Watershed Protection. The Guidebook addresses a longstanding challenge for stormwater practitioners: how to move from promising research on biochar’s potential to clear recommendations for selecting, specifying, and using it in stormwater best management practices (BMPs).

The discussion will explore:

• The scientific evidence supporting biochar for pollutant removal, runoff retention, infiltration, and plant health

• Recommendations for incorporating biochar into eight common stormwater BMPs

• Practical guidance for bioretention systems, including application rates, mixing, stockpiling, and installation

• Biochar specifications and sourcing considerations to help practitioners select appropriate materials

• How clearer standards and guidance can support broader, more consistent adoption of biochar in stormwater management

Designed for stormwater professionals, engineers, landscape architects, municipalities, watershed organizations, biochar producers, and project developers, this session offers actionable guidance for moving biochar from research into real-world stormwater projects.

RSVP now visiting mnbiocharinitiative.org/events to join us for this timely conversation and bring your questions. If you can’t attend, a recording and transcript will be shared afterward. Thank you for supporting the Minnesota Biochar Initiative (MNBI).