Streams Under Urban Pressure: Blue-Green Infrastructure Planning and Design Approaches for Bursa Ayvali Creek Corridor

Abstract

In order to prevent the adverse effects of rapid urbanization and construction on the urban landscape, the protection and planning of the hydrological network systems with the open green spaces is a contemporary issue for cities. Within the scope of ensuring the sustainability of water resources and green open spaces, it is necessary to protect the natural water corridors for a sustainable environment, to store rainwater, to protect and feed the qualities of groundwater, and to create permeable surfaces. In many developed countries of the world, blue-green infrastructure solutions are produced respecting the natural structure of the water resources with innovative techniques. Ayvali Creek is an important branch of the Nilufer Stream, which is the main stream of the city of Bursa. Along this creek corridor under industrial, agricultural, and urban pressures, water pollution is observed and the natural habitat area is damaged. This study aims to categorize the problems and opportunities seen in the differentiating urban typologies along Ayvali Creek, by scoring and prioritizing them with an evaluation matrix. With matrix results, planning and design proposals focused on precipitation water integrated into the existing blue-green infrastructure system for the character of the area have been developed.