1. General information
2. Objectives of the intervention
Goals of the intervention
Diepsloot is highly susceptible to flooding due to its location in the Jukskei River floodplain. The area is also densely populated, fully covered with impervious surfaces and has very little green space, all characteristics that exacerbate flood risk. As such, the goals of the intervention were the following:
1. To adopt a green infrastructure (GI) approach – a holistic urban planning approach deliberately incorporating natural and man-made ecological systems into infrastructure planning and development in a similar way to traditional grey infrastructure. The scope is to help restore biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services.
2. To address issues related to erosion and flooding, specific during summer thunderstorms - this places severe stress on formal and informal stormwater systems and regularly results in flooding, an aspect of particular concern in informal settlements where the dwellings are vulnerable to collapse.
3. To address the phenomenon of rapid densification that led to the removal of vegetation, straining therefore the natural ecosystem of the area.
4. To create a sustainable drainage system that will also help with the improvement of the water quality in the area. (1,2,3)
1. To adopt a green infrastructure (GI) approach – a holistic urban planning approach deliberately incorporating natural and man-made ecological systems into infrastructure planning and development in a similar way to traditional grey infrastructure. The scope is to help restore biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services.
2. To address issues related to erosion and flooding, specific during summer thunderstorms - this places severe stress on formal and informal stormwater systems and regularly results in flooding, an aspect of particular concern in informal settlements where the dwellings are vulnerable to collapse.
3. To address the phenomenon of rapid densification that led to the removal of vegetation, straining therefore the natural ecosystem of the area.
4. To create a sustainable drainage system that will also help with the improvement of the water quality in the area. (1,2,3)
Quantitative targets
Targeting 2 sites in the informal settlement of Diesploot
Targeting indirectly a population of approx. 140k people, inhabitants of the settlement
(1,2)
Targeting indirectly a population of approx. 140k people, inhabitants of the settlement
(1,2)
Monitoring indicators defined
Number of people benefiting from the intervention;
Number of sites targeted for the implementation (1,2).
Number of sites targeted for the implementation (1,2).
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Climate change adaptation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?
Implementation activities
The research team, including a resident who is a member of a local community plumbing organisation, carried out a broad survey to identify surface water ‘hotspots’. A 600 m stretch of the south bank of the Jukskei River was selected, representing one of the least formal parts of the settlement. The resident team member did a door-to-door survey to assess householders’ interest in the project. From this, 2 sites were chosen, each with 4 to 8 households. The chosen sites are located within the river floodplain, in which years of illegal dumping have created a berm between the flowing water and dwellings. Both sites had rudimentary drainage constructed by residents, which leads through the dumpsites before percolating into the river. The elements chosen were simplifications of standard SuDS, namely previous channels, semi-vegetated channels, soakaways and a miniature bio-retention area. A bio-retention pond was built from broken brick to create a porous base, and water-tolerant indigenous vegetation was planted on the periphery of the paving. Each day’s work was then evaluated on the subsequent work-day in discussion groups of 4 to 8 residents, which explored adaptations to previous work. (1,2)
Type of NBS project
3. NBS domains, ES and scale
4. Governance and financing
5. Innovation
Type of innovation
Novelty level of the innovation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The process of selection was modelled on the USA Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA, 1993) Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention and Control Planning handbook. (1)
Replicability/Transferability
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
It was understood that the intervenation might be transferred to new initiative throughout other informal settlements of Johannersburg. (3)
