Regulation of surface runoff in urban areas with temporary delay by infiltration basins of rainwater in places of their precipitation and with gradual drainage through existing reservoirs of small diameters is the most appropriate in conditions of intensive building development, wear and imperfection of surface drainage systems, especially combined sewerage. Evaluation of application conditions and basic parameters of infiltration basins in surface drainage regulation was carried out on the basis of own experimental studies of infiltration basin fragment with upper typical vegetation layer, numerical computer modeling of surface runoff formation in urban areas, its regulation using infiltration basins and analysis of previous studies. Its water absorption, filtration and clearing indicators are defined on the basis of experimental researches. The self-regenerative restoring function of a vegetative layer, working conditions in the flooded and not flooded conditions are established and defined. According to the amount of suspended solids, BOD, oxidation, pH and dissolved oxygen, the quality of rain runoff when filtering water through the upper vegetation layers of infiltration basins decreases to the normative values.