this urban storm water management It has become an urgent problem due to population growth, rapid urbanization, changes in land use and climate change. To meet this challenge and combat the ever-increasing floods, the program ‘sponge cities‘containing a wide range of nature-based solutions (NbS)low-impact development, best management practices, sustainable drainage systems, water-sensitive urban design, green cities, blue infrastructures… The ‘sponge city’ concept is already being implemented in Spain.
Main idea reduce the impact of urban developments by imitating nature and achieving wider benefits such as reduced biodiversity, comfort and the heat island effect.
They are built for green spaces, porous flooring, private roofs, artificial wetlands, green roofs, cisterns to store rain, and absorbent paving stones replace the concrete of the streets..
An international scientific study published in ‘WIREs Water’‘ discusses the potential of these initiatives to address the problem of flooding and lists key ingredients for success. The authors emphasize that the Chinese State Council launched pilot projects in 30 cities in 2015 implementing the ‘sponge city’ concept.
The goal is for these cities to absorb about 80% of their surface and reuse at least 70% of their rainwater by 2030. store, channel and use. Now, this project has expanded to 20 more cities.
“Nature-based solutions emerged as follows” sustainable For urban stormwater management and solving urban flooding problems, the study states in its introduction.
social transformation
But the authors acknowledge that there are limits to the amount of rain that cities can absorb. Then, they are not a panacea for urban flooding. They highlight community-based measures an “important part” of the response development framework needs to be transformed to make flood resistant cities possible.
“Building flood resistance does not only mean investments in grey-green-blue infrastructure, but also a Social transformation towards flood resistant communities“, specify researchers.
“The ‘sponge cities’ represent a paradigm shift in sustainable water management by integrating blue-green systems with traditional gray infrastructure,” they add.
“Don’t fight the water. Don’t be afraid of it, accept it, let it go.” That’s the idea he started you kongjianWhen he came up with ‘sponge cities’, he is one of China’s leading urban design thinkers.
The traditional way to manage floods is to build pipes or sewers to carry water as quickly as possible, or to reinforce river banks with concrete to ensure they don’t overflow.
A ‘sponge city’ does the opposite: absorbs rain and slows runoff. First, in the fountain, which is an attempt to retain water, which has many ponds, like a sponge with many holes.
They are then activated along the stream, rather than quickly channeling the water in straight lines as is usually done. wetlands anyone meandering channels with vegetation to slow down the water. This has the added benefit of creating green spaces, parks and animal habitats. It also purifies runoff with herbs removing toxins and polluting nutrients.
Green roofs and permeable pavements
The United Nations’ world report on the development of water resources in 2018 highlighted the many benefits of ‘sponge cities’.
“The application of nature-based solutions, for example restoration of urban and urban perimeter wetlands and rivers with green roofs, permeable pavements and bioremediationcan reduce the negative effects of urbanization on natural ecosystems,” says the United Nations.
” rain gardens and biological retention systems they are used to collect the stream and remove certain pollutants. Some of this water is returned to the natural system and stored to ensure the availability of water for irrigation and cleaning purposes during periods of drought.
The ‘Sponge cities’ project is the commitment of the Region of Murcia to deal with extreme precipitation and flooding. The implementation of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) in Mar Menor municipalities is one of the most common. 50 projects It was compiled by the Nature-Based Solutions Observatory (OSBN), an organization coordinated by the Conama Foundation and the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Center for Mediterranean Cooperation.
The idea has the support of the Autonomous Government and two pilot projects are planned to be launched soon. sustainable drainage systems chains in San Javier and Cartagena.
Successful projects for NBS implementation in Spanish cities, for example the El Marjal floodplain park in Alicante; Vitoria’s Green Belt; Alcorques Vivos in Barcelona or Iberum Central Platform in Toledo.
Reference work: https://wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wat2.11613
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