Abstract
Sponge City is an integrated urban stormwater management approach and practice to tackle waterlogging, flooding, water scarcity, and their related problems. Despite many positive effects of Sponge City on flood control that have been investigated and revealed, the effect on aquifer recharge is still less known. Considering maximizing the function of natural elements such as surface water bodies and subsurface storage space, to minimize the use of a gray drainage system, a Sponge City design was proposed to substitute the planning development scheme in the study area. The stormwater management model of SWMM (storm water management model) and the groundwater flow model of MODFlow (Modular Three-dimensional Finite-difference Groundwater Flow Model) were adopted to evaluate the flood-control effect and aquifer-recharge effect, respectively. Compared with the traditional planning scenario, the peak runoff is approximately 92% less than that under the traditional planning scenario under the condition of a 5-year return period. Due to the increase in impervious areas of urban construction, the total aquifer recharge from precipitation and surface water bodies was decreased both in the present planning scenario and the Sponge City design scenario. However, the Sponge City design has a positive impact on maintaining groundwater level stabilization and even raises the groundwater level in some specific areas where stormwater seepage infrastructure is located.
Highlights
IntroductionWith rapid urbanization and global climate change, urban flooding has become a major issue in China [1,2,3]
Received: 15 November 2021With rapid urbanization and global climate change, urban flooding has become a major issue in China [1,2,3]
The idea of “Sponge City” is consistent with the strategies of flood mitigation through natural and ecological approaches, e.g., to achieve flood control and aquifer recharge by using riparian woodland planting along the riverbed in the floodplain of the United Kingdom (UK) [7]
Summary
With rapid urbanization and global climate change, urban flooding has become a major issue in China [1,2,3]. The government of China promoted the application of the ”Sponge City” approach to reduce urban flood risk and improve the environment in these cities [4]. The idea of “Sponge City” is consistent with the strategies of flood mitigation through natural and ecological approaches, e.g., to achieve flood control and aquifer recharge by using riparian woodland planting along the riverbed in the floodplain of the UK [7]. Development) and BMPs (Best Management Practices) [18,19], it is expected that the adoption and implementation of Sponge City will provide a large opportunity to recharge groundwater in urban aquifers [17]. Based on a case of Sponge City in North China, the flood control and aquifer recharge effects were analyzed, and positive effects were expected under the scientific designed Sponge City schemes
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