Abstract
Local management of rainwater using stormwater control measures (SCMs) is gaining increased attention as a sustainable alternative and supplement to traditional sewer systems. Besides offering added utility values, many SCMs also offer a great potential for added amenity values. One way of achieving amenity value is to stage the rainwater and thus bring it to the attention of the public. We present here a methodology for creating a selection of rain events that can help bridge between engineering and landscape architecture when dealing with staging of rainwater. The methodology uses quantitative and statistical methods to select Characteristic Rain Events (CREs) for a range of frequent return periods: weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, and a single rarer event occurring only every 1–10 years. The methodology for selecting CREs is flexible and can be adjusted to any climatic settings; here we show its use for Danish conditions. We illustrate with a case study how CREs can be used in combination with a simple hydrological model to visualize where, how deep and for how long water is visible in a landscape designed to manage rainwater.
Highlights
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), Low Impact Development (LID), Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Stormwater Control Measures (SMCs) are concepts that have gained increasing attention in recent years [1]
The aim of this study was to develop a methodology for producing a set of Characteristic Rain Events (CREs) for landscape architects to use in the design of SCMs in order to improve amenity values without compromising utility values
A recognized need for a simple design tool that can help landscape architects in staging water in SCMs is addressed, by suggesting the use of a collection of historical rain events that can be said to be characteristic of the location in question and of the frequency at which designers expect rainwater to be visible in the SCM
Summary
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), Low Impact Development (LID), Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Stormwater Control Measures (SMCs) are concepts that have gained increasing attention in recent years [1]. These technologies generally use local detention, retention, infiltration and evaporation to reduce the amount of stormwater leaving a site. A review of 20 European SCM-based projects [9] identified two key parameters in the design that were found crucial to successful stormwater management landscape projects: water dynamics and water accentuation. They concluded that many projects accentuate stormwater features, which in practice are presenting only little water, leading to a disproportion between water and other materials appearing like “dry craters” in the urban landscape. This study aim to develop such a tool, which can help designers improve the amenity value of SCMs through successful staging of water
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