Flood protection

This intervention involved the realignment and merging of St. Mary's Way and Livingstone road into "St. Mary's Way Boulevard" of which a sustainable urban drainage (SUD) system is a key component. It consists of 31 large specimen trees that are planted in soil cells. The purpose of this project was to improve pedestrian accessibility, attract net investors, and to enhance the water drainage system (Ref 1).

The Bahlui river was prone to floods especially during spring and autumn and as a result of the fact that for almost 40 years there has been no work for the decolouration and sanitation of the river and the industrial enterprises in the county have discharged polluting substances in water (mainly nitrogen and phosphates), Bahlu River has become a polluted river. In addition, some citizens of Iaşi have discarded waste in its bed (especially in peripheral areas). In 2011, a larger project funded by the EU, implemented the regularization of the river. (1)

The Development of the Garden of the Schloessel project is part of the Natural Urban Park project undertaken by the City Council in consultation with the Strasbourg Urban Community (Ref. 3). The project aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the area by installing and redeveloping green spaces in the garden as well as providing the site with stormwater management infiltration (Ref. 1).

Working with Cardiff local authorities, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water's (DCWW) upgraded Trelawney Avenue to its RainScape Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) (Ref. 4) which alleviated risk to residents and nearby highway which were at a 2 in 10 year flood risk (highly-risky) (Ref. 3). Flooding commonly occurred due to rainwater run-off from the roofs and roads of upstream catchments that drained into a combined, overburdened sewer network. Traditional systems of increasing pipe-size and storage were not cost effective (Ref. 3). A sustainable solution was developed which combined road surface drainage (gullies and slotted grates) and provided water-butts (200 liter reservoirs for roof drains) to 101 properties in Trelawney Avenue and to 75 properties in the upstream catchment (Ref. 3). Additionally, a wall was built to protect properties from the potential effects from surface water run-off (Ref. 1).

The project of Nature Oasis Auwiesen is creating new habitats for animals and plants in Stuttgart. The project is one of a total of six “Neckar pearls” that are to be completed by 2022 as part of the Neckar Landscape Park master plan in Stuttgart. In the project with a predominantly ecological focus, grassland in the Neckaraue near the Aubrücke is to be transformed into a near‐natural, ecologically valuable wetland biotope. In the course of straightening the Neckar, the wet and floodplain biotopes that were typical and widespread in the floodplains have been lost. The aim of the project is to restore these habitats for animals and plants, which have become very rare today. A network of marshes, water surfaces, islands, and bushes is to be created in the district of Hofen. On an area previously used as grassland, new habitats will be created for rare animals and plants, which are dependent on water areas. Initially, the planned implementation time was 2016-2022, but now it has been delayed and is expected to start by the end of 2021. (2, 7).

On November 5, 2019, the Committee for Urban Development and Technology passed the building decision for the riverside park Austraße - Neckarterrassen. To the north of Münster, the Neckar has cut deeply into the shell limestone and describes a wide arc on the Prallufer. There is little space between the cliff and the river - that is what makes this place so special. This is where the Austraße riverside park is being built with the elements Freienstein water playground (element 1), Neckarterrassen and Tapach-Link (element 2) as well as Austraße, Neckarufer and Neckarstrand (element 3). The first component has already been implemented: children will find their favorite spot on the Freienstein water playground south of the Max-Eyth-Steg. Students from the Elise von König School in Münster contributed their ideas as part of a child participation program. With the second component and its sub-projects “Tapach-Link” and “Neckarterrassen”, there are beautiful prospects for Münster: Those who have overcome the relay to the Neckarterrassen can rest in the shade and let their eyes wander up and down the Neckar. The third component of the Austraße riverside park - in addition to the Freienstein water playground, Neckarterrassen and Tapach-Link - focuses on the banks: podiums and platforms are planned on the river to linger while the freighters transport their goods on the water. Insects, small crabs and small fish find optimal living conditions on the renatured bank zones with stones and diverse flora. (1, 7).

Landscape Park Neckar is a multi-place NBS intervention that is being realized along the banks of the river Neckar in 27 cities, including Stuttgart. Along the river axis, the free spaces between the dwelling buildings, industrial areas, and transport terminals are identified to be transformed into green areas, parks, and new recreational facilities. With this step-by-step approach, it succeeds in regenerating green areas for natural and social functions and helps drawing attention to the diverse benefits of Green Infrastructure. There are now eight master plans for the different landscape areas, which fit together like pieces of a puzzle to form the Stuttgart Region Landscape Park. Each sub-concept is tailored to the characteristic conditions. Since 2005 the Verband Region Stuttgart has been calling on cities and municipalities to submit project ideas. From this, the projects are selected in a competition in which the region pays up to 50 per cent of the costs. In this way, total investments in the Stuttgart Region Landscape Park of around 45 million euros have been triggered in recent years and around 200 projects have been co-financed by the region. The redevelopment of the landscape is in the ongoing phase. (ref. 1, 2, 7).

“Balne Lane Fields are an area of land close to the city centre of Wakefield. The site comprises of an area of nine hectares, which includes a former landfill site that has been restored to open green space. Part of the site is within a flood zone (Balne Beck).” “The field is popular with the local population for informal recreation. The potential to improve the variety of recreational uses, ecological value and environmental quality together with its links to both local communities and strategic greenspaces make it an important piece of green infrastructure in the City of Wakefield.” (Ref. 1)

In response to floods that had been afflicting the Rhiwbina area of Cardiff, a capital scheme was promoted in order to develop an integrated Rhiwbina Flood Defence Scheme. First, a pond was built in the Caedlyn Park to capture peak flows during extreme rainfall (ref 2; ref 8). The City of Cardiff also built low walls alongside the brook that flows through the neighbourhood to better channel water while also removing debris and reinstating the banks that had eroded over time (ref 1; ref 2). Additionally, by realigning and widening the watercourse, establishing earth bunds and creating a large attenuation pond downstream that aligns with the drainage system (ref 7). Taken together, flood risk decreased for the area overall, assisting local residents.

"The proposal is to create a leisure landscape in the countryside to the south of Wakefield, Featherstone and the South East Rural Renaissance areas. The project looks at integrating a series of existing environmental and historic attractions such as Nostell Priory Estate, Newmillerdam Country Park, Haw Park and Anglers Country Park in a landscape that is shaped by reclaimed open cast mining, and features e.g. an innovative forest planting scheme". The proposal is part of the ‘Strategic projects’ to deliver Wakefield’s vision for green infrastructure. (Ref. 1, 2)