System interactions of stormwater management using sustainable urban drainage systems and green infrastructure

Abstract

This study explores system interactions of stormwater management solutions using Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDS) and Green Infrastructure (GI) within the wider urban landscape. A series of interdependencies between urban components relating to stormwater management are identified. These include physical interdependency, geographical interdependency, cyber interdependency and logical interdependency, as defined by Peerenboom (2001). Stormwater management using SuDS/GI are viewed according to their Hydrological, Ecological and the Built Environment functions during events up to the design rain (non-flood condition) and during controlled exceedance and uncontrolled inundation (flood condition). The inclusion of SuDS/GI into the urban fabric is shown to modify urban functional and relational interdependencies under both these conditions. Within the context of the UK, there are fragmented responsibilities across planning scales created by SuDS/GI solutions which have not addressed the relational complexities that exist between agencies and competent authorities. The paper identifies the key barriers towards effective adoption of SuDS/GI within the context of the UK as physical barriers, perception/information barriers and organisational barriers.

A conceptual approach for evaluating the multiple benefits of urban flood management practices

“…() showed that the multifunctional and multiscale nature of green urban infrastructure also leads to interactions between these benefits at different scales. For example, at the small scale of a single green roof, Hoang and Fenner () have shown that several benefit categories can be dependent on the same controlling variables but may respond in different ways to variations in those variables. So, low soil moisture enhances water retention but reduces noise attenuation capacity and vice versa.…”

“…However, effective integration of SuDS/GI into the existing urban fabric requires further understanding of SuDS/GI hydrological, ecological, and social benefits as well as trade‐offs, where they interact with other aspects of urban infrastructure (Hoang and Fenner, ). A meta‐study of the literature by Demuzere et al .…”

Spatial Evaluation of Multiple Benefits to Encourage Multi-Functional Design of Sustainable Drainage in Blue-Green Cities

“…It should also be accepted that not all green infrastructure interventions have positive outcomes. Some negative effects potentially may arise, for example from the introduction of pests and diseases and perceived increases in crime in areas with increased vegetation cover [15]. Also inequalities in terms of the section of a community to which benefits accrue have been recognised based on factors such as age, gender and socioeconomic status [16].…”

“…However, little collaboration has been found between the statutory and non-statutory players in GI planning and the group of organisations managing SuDS. In particular the complex interdependencies between the urban components and stormwater management using SuDS/GI have not yet effectively been translated into governance interactions between the variety of responsible agencies and wider stakeholders [15].…”

Investigating the Influence of Various Stormwater Runoff Control Facilities on Runoff Control Efficiency in a Small Catchment Area

“…In addition, the potential economic damage in 2100 (RCP8.5 scenario) for a flood of 100-year return period was estimated to be 107 billion USD (1.10-1.36 times greater than the current value) [17]. In Western countries, low-impact development (LID) [18,19], green infrastructure (GI) [20], and sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) [21,22] were introduced as methods for stormwater management in order to reduce the runoff volume and nutrient load from non-point sources. Outflow control facilities, such as green roofs, rain gardens, permeable pavements, or rainwater tanks have been introduced to store rainwater based on the fact that it is expensive to reconstruct pipeline system as measures to mitigate urban flooding [23].…”