Stormwater Retention Research Articles

Investigating chemical and microbial functional indicators of nutrient retention capacity in greenhouse stormwater retention ponds in southwestern Ontario, Canada

The tributaries flowing through Leamington, Ontario are unique in the Canadian Lake Erie watershed due to the broad spatial extent of greenhouse operations, which more than doubled in size and density from 2011 to 2022. These greenhouse operations are considered to be potential nutrient point sources with respect to observed nutrient concentrations in tributaries adjacent to greenhouse stormwater retention ponds (GSWPs). Identifying causal factors of nutrient release, whether this be chemical or biological, within these ponds may be critical for mitigating their impact on the watershed and ultimately the receiving waters of Lake Erie. Specifically, phosphorus and nitrogen accumulation in freshwater ponds can contribute to environmental damage proximal to adjacent streams, serving as a potential catalyst for algal blooms and eutrophication. This study compared correlations between the water column N:P stoichiometry, sediment nutrient retention capacity, and drivers of microbial metabolism within GSWP sediments. Correlations between water column TN:TP ratios and sediment nutrient retention capacity were observed, suggesting an interplay between N and P in terms of nutrient limitation. Further, clear shifts were observed in the bacterial metabolic pathways analyzed through metatranscriptomics. Specifically, genes related to nitrogen fixation, nitrification and denitrification, and other metabolic processes involving sulfur and methane showed differential expression depending on the condition of the respective pond (i.e., naturalized wetland vs. dredged, eutrophic pond). Collectively, this research serves to highlight the interconnected role of chemical-biological processes particularly as they relate to significant ecosystem processes such as nutrient loading and retention dynamics in impaired freshwater systems.

Plant growth-promoting microbes improve stormwater retention of a newly-built vertical greenery system

On-site decentralized urban stormwater management has gained significant momentum in urban planning. Recently, vegetated roofs have been recommended as a viable decentralized stormwater management system and nature-based solution to meet the challenge of urban floods. However, as another type of unconventional green infrastructure, vertical greenery systems (VGS), also known as vegetated facades, have received much less research attention. Even though some researchers suggest that stormwater management by VGS is comparable to that of vegetated roofs, empirical evidence to substantiate this claim is limited. In this study, we conducted rain simulations on newly-built vegetation containers with water storage compartments. These vegetation containers were designed to be incorporated into a VGS specifically for stormwater management. We tested variables that could influence water retention efficiency and evapotranspiration of the containers under field conditions, i.e., inoculation of plant growth-promoting microbes (PGPMs) (Rhizophagus irregularis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens), different substrate types (sandy loam and reed-based substrate), simulated rain quantity, natural precipitation, substrate moisture, and air temperature. The inoculation of PGPMs significantly reduced runoff quantity from the vegetation containers. Meanwhile, the well-ventilated sandy-loam substrate significantly reduced the remaining water in the water storage compartments over 1-week periods between rain simulation events, achieving high water-use efficiency. The selected microbes were established successfully in the containers and promoted the growth of 2 out of 5 plant species. R. irregularis colonization responded to substrate type and host plant species, while B. amyloliquefaciens population density in the substrate did not respond to these factors. Environmental conditions, such as antecedent substrate moisture, air temperature, and natural precipitation also influenced the efficiency of stormwater retention and/or evapotranspiration. In conclusion, this study provides instructive and practical insights to reduce urban flood risk by using VGS.

Green roof as an effective tool for sustainable urban development: An Australian perspective in relation to stormwater and building energy management

Green infrastructure could provide a suite of benefits, including stormwater management and climate change impact mitigation. While European countries, the USA and Canada are increasingly adopting green roofs, Australia is lagging behind. This study specifically reviews the performance of green roofs in terms of stormwater retention, runoff quality, building energy consumption and life cycle cost analysis, as well as policy development in the Australian context. Research studies on these topics within Australia are identified, collated and analysed with respect to other studies reported by reputable research groups in other countries, where the green roof system has already matured. It should be mentioned that the results related to energy consumption were from simulation studies and empirical evidence derived from limited case studies, as reported in the literature. This study found that the average water retention capacity (worldwide) of a green roof is around 66.2%, which is within to the values (60–70%) reported in Australian studies. Because of the high water retention capacity, green roofs limit the export of pollution for most storm events. But when green roofs are saturated, they may be a source of pollution. However, the concentration of the pollutant decreases significantly over time. The temperature reduction by green roofs in buildings ranges between 4 and 6 °C. There is a potential for energy savings in building heating and cooling, but the findings from the literature are highly variable (ranges between 9 and 50%). The average payback period reported for a green roof is about 16 years. However, this depends on the initial cost, maintenance and assumed discount rate in the study. It has been shown that government policies and public awareness are important to increase the green roof adoption rate. Finally, current challenges in adopting this technology and future research directions are summarised.

High-performance thin-layer chromatography in combination with an acetylcholinesterase-inhibition bioassay with pre-oxidation of organothiophosphates to determine neurotoxic effects in storm, waste, and surface water

Pesticides such as organothiophosphates (OTPs) are neurotoxically active and enter the aquatic environment. Bioassays, using acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a suitable substrate and reactant, can be applied for the photometric detection of AChE-inhibiton (AChE-I) effects. The oxidized forms of OTPs, so-called oxons, have higher inhibition potentials for AChE. Therefore, a higher sensitivity is achieved for application of oxidized samples to the AChE assay. In this study, the oxidation of malathion, parathion, and chlorpyrifos by n-bromosuccinimide (NBS) was investigated in an approach combining high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) with an AChE-I assay. Two AChE application approaches, immersion and spraying, were compared regarding sensitivity, precision, and general feasibility of the OTP effect detection. The oxidation by NBS led to an activation of the OTPs and a strong increase in sensitivity similar to the oxons tested. The sensitivity and precision of the two application techniques were similar, although the spray method was slightly more sensitive to the oxidized OTPs. The 10% inhibition concentrations (IC10) for the spray approach were 0.26, 0.75, and 0.35 ng/spot for activated malathion, parathion, and chlorpyrifos, respectively. AChE-I effect recoveries in samples from a stormwater retention basin and receiving stream were between 69 and 92% for malathion, parathion, and chlorpyrifos. The overall workflow, including sample enrichment by solid-phase extraction, HPTLC, oxidation of OTPs, and AChE-I assay, was demonstrated to be suitable for the detection of AChE-I effects in native water samples. An effect of unknown origin was found in a sample from a stormwater retention basin.

Faster than an urban stream: Evaluating morphodynamics in urban channel reaches that have undergone form-based channel enhancement

Urban streams are frequently the focus of channel enhancement efforts due to extensive degradation, failing infrastructure and land use change caused by urban development. Following construction, short-term monitoring is a standard step in evaluating channel stability and amelioration success. However, monitoring activities rarely fully capture adjustment mechanisms, as geomorphic adjustment can take several years to observe and characterize. This study assessed the performance and adjustment processes observed within six form-based channel enhancements projects, in a heavily urbanized area along Highland Creek, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Bankfull flow conditions occurred multiple times in a single season as a function of reduced stormwater retention in the basin and as such the beds and banks experience high shear stresses. Rapid geomorphic assessments were conducted along the enhanced reaches, and over 200 design features (e.g., pools, riffles, rock weirs) were surveyed to analyze stability and evaluate design feature conditions following the various channel enhancement projects that have occurred. Stability indices for each reach indicate that most of the enhanced reaches showed signs of on-going adjustment 15-years post-construction, with features along banks and within grade control structures showing the most change. For example, the observed change through this system in a short period of time demonstrates that urban streams are changing at rates faster than streams in areas with less urban land use. This study informs mid- to long term stability assessment and furthers our understanding of active adjustment processes following construction in challenging urban landscapes.

Screening dilute sources of rare earth elements for their circular recovery

Metals, including rare earth elements (REE), are the cornerstone of our current and future low-carbon urban infrastructure. This study looks at different waste resources and contaminated materials present in the urban setting as REE sources. Wastes and other dilute sources such as incineration ashes, sediments, and mine tailings are not only essential sources of REE in achieving a circular, carbon-neutral economy but may be the most realistic one. E-waste, being the most REE concentrated waste, faces serious reservations regarding handling in large-scale facilities, and this waste is generally landfilled. In this study, we analyzed REE total concentrations and pH desorption curves in ten dilute sources of REE: Ferrochrome slag from a mine in South Africa, sediments retrieved form stormwater ponds in Denmark, coal fly ashes, municipal solid waste (MSW) fly ashes, wood fly and bottom ashes and sewage sludge fly ashes (ashes from different sources). After analyzing different residues, we found that coal fly ashes and stormwater retention pond sediments present the most promising ones. While coal fly ashes have the highest critical REE contents from the studied wastes, the sediments collected from a stormwater retention pond showed the highest REE leachability. We can find Nd, Dy, and Er – all critical REE – in sediments/soils near highways, coal ashes, and bauxite residue. Overall, coal fly ashes contain the highest critical REE contents found in the studied wastes but sediments collected from stormwater water ponds present the highest leachable REE. In fact, up to 100% of total REE found in these sediments are leachable at room temperature and low pH. Future REE resource extraction efforts should account for REE speciation in wastes and not only total contents.

Comparing the hydrological performance of an irrigated native vegetation green roof with a conventional Sedum spp. green roof in New York City.

The objective of this study was to compare the hydrological performance of an irrigated, 127 mm deep green roof, planted with vegetation native to the New York City area, to a conventional, non-irrigated, 100 mm deep green roof, planted with drought-tolerant Sedum spp. Four years of climate and runoff data from both green roofs were analyzed to determine seasonal stormwater retention. Empirical relationships between rainfall and runoff were developed for both roofs, and applied to historical rainfall data in order to compare stormwater retention values for different rainfall depths. Crop coefficients for the vegetation on each green roof were estimated using the soil moisture extraction function. This function was also used to estimate monthly evapotranspiration. Despite being irrigated, the green roof with native vegetation retained more stormwater per annum (64%) than the non-irrigated green roof planted with Sedum spp. (54%). The green roof planted with native vegetation also had approximately twice the crop coefficient (1.13) than the green roof planted with Sedum spp. (0.57), indicating that the New York City native plants transpire more stormwater than the Sedum spp. plants given certain climate and substrate moisture conditions. Overall, the results of the study indicate that, for the New York City climate region, irrigated green roofs of native vegetation have the capacity to better manage stormwater than non-irrigated green roofs planted with drought-tolerant succulents.

Nature-based solutions for securing contributions of water, food, and energy in an urban environment.

There is growing awareness that nature-based solutions (NBS) prevent negative effects and secure ecosystem services. However, the potential of NBS to provide intended benefits has not been rigorously assessed. Water, food, and energy (WFE) are essential for human well-being. This study highlights the importance of NBS in terms of water, food, and energy. A set of on-site NBS that includes permeable pavements, plant microbial fuel cells, bio-filtration basins, and rain gardens is used to determine the contribution of NBS to the environmental and economic development of urban environments. The results of this study show that NBSs benefit an urban environment in terms of water treatment, stormwater retention, food production and energy generation, carbon sequestration, pollination, sedimentation retention, and cultural services dimension. This research highlights an urgent need for the integration of water, food, and energy plans to ensure that NBSs contribute to the environment and for the conservation of ecosystem services.

Saltpan primary producer and inorganic nutrient dynamics in response to inundation with nutrient-rich source waters

This study made use of a microcosm experiment to inform a planned restoration project that aims to simultaneously address two global issues – stormwater management and saltpan abandonment, which leads to the loss of unique wetland habitats and the ecosystem services they provide. To reinstate the wetland function of an abandoned saltpan at the Swartkops Estuary, South Africa, an opportunity has been identified to fill it with stormwater which is currently a major source of nutrient pollution to the nationally important estuary. This study investigated the primary producer communities that may arise in response to the inundation of the saltpan with stormwater as well as the potential for the saltpan to remove nutrients from the stormwater. The microcosm experiment contained stormwater treatments and an estuary treatment consisting of water from the adjacent Swartkops Estuary to mimic the previous management regime of the saltpan. Initially, all treatments were eutrophic – the stormwater treatments had exceptionally high concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN ≥ 99 μM), while the Estuary treatment was rich in dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP = 25 μM) and were characterised by diatom blooms (> 20 μg Chl-a l−1). However, these blooms quickly assimilated inorganic nutrients and shifted the water column to an oligotrophic state, before subsequently collapsing. By the end of the study, diverse primary producer communities, dominated by benthic microalgae and submerged macrophytes, were able to assimilate the studied nutrients and all treatments reached an oligotrophic, clear water state. A phytoplankton (Tetraselmis sp.) bloom occurred in the Estuary treatment, but no evidence was found to support the potential for nuisance blooms if stormwater is pumped into the abandoned saltpan. This study highlights the potential for converting defunct saltpans, which have been abandoned in many parts of the world, to stormwater retention ponds that can reduce the anthropogenic nutrient loading of estuaries.

Assessment of the Impact of Loss-of-Retention Fees on Green Infrastructure Investments

Urbanization leads to the growth of impervious surfaces, which increases surface runoff, causing pluvial and flash flood phenomena. Furthermore, it significantly limits the infiltration of stormwater into the ground; this, in turn, reduces groundwater supply, ultimately intensifying drought effects. In order to adapt urbanized areas to climate change, the objective is to stop these unfavorable processes and strive for recreating the natural water cycle through developing decentralized stormwater management practices on private properties. An important management instrument that motivates property owners to invest is economic incentives, such as stormwater or impact fees associated with a system of rebates/discounts that depend on the applied stormwater runoff reduction solutions. Herein, we analyze a new economic instrument—a fee for reducing natural field retention—which is planned to be introduced in Poland. We assessed the incentive and funding (income-generating) function of the fee based on the example of the Sudół river catchment in Krakow, Poland. The research involved conducting simulation calculations and assessing the incentive impact through calculating investment Net Present Value (NPV), which is the investor’s response to the proposed economic incentives included in the structure of the fee and the rebate system. This study demonstrated errors and loopholes in the suggested fee rules—too low rates that prevent achieving profitability (negative NPV) for small-scale stormwater retention practices, and incorrect conditions that enable obtaining discounted fees. We also estimated the fee rate that ensures investment profitability.

Stormwater Retention of an In-Series System Composed of a Green Roof, Constructed Wetland, and Bioretention Cell for a Single-Family Home

The need to develop a sustainable approach to stormwater management is rapidly becoming a priority as urban development and climate change alters urban hydrologic cycles. Green infrastructure (GI) is widely viewed as a sustainable method to managing stormwater. However, rarely have in-series systems of GI been monitored, even though most stormwater regulations require these practices to be installed. Additionally, studies on the effectiveness of GI in residential settings is lacking. This paper examines how an extensive green roof, constructed wetland (CW), and bioretention cell integrated in-series on a home in Rockville, Maryland, affected site hydrology during 116 storm events that occurred from July 2014 to June 2016. The effects of season, antecedent substrate water content, storm characteristics (size, intensity, and frequency), and green roof vegetation development (leaf area index and percent cover) on retention were evaluated. Collectively, the green roof, CW and bioretention cell stored 6,930.7 mm of stormwater over the 2-year study period. Given a total input of 19,019.1 mm over all storm events, the three systems collectively reduced site runoff by approximately 36.4%. Event size was the single biggest predictor of retention for all systems. When evaluating each system independently, the CW retained the most runoff (37.6% or 337.3 mm/m2 of water). Findings provide insight on the benefits of implementing GI in-series on residential properties.

Nutrient dynamics in a eutrophic blackwater urban lake

Iraola ND, Mallin MA, Cahoon LB, Gamble DW, Zamora PB. 2022. Nutrient dynamics in a eutrophic blackwater urban lake. Lake Reserv Manage. 38:28–46. Greenfield Lake is a eutrophic blackwater urban lake in Wilmington, North Carolina, and in 2014 was declared by the state as impaired waters due to excessive chlorophyll a concentrations. Phytoplankton production is strongly nitrogen (N) limited, and the lake supports filamentous green algal blooms in spring and N-fixing cyanobacteria blooms in summer. To inform future lake restoration efforts, we quantified nutrient loads from 5 perennial streams that drain the highly impervious Greenfield Lake watershed to determine their impact on the lake’s eutrophic state. The 5 streams were sampled monthly from 2016 to 2017 during periods of dry weather and again after rain events of at least 1.2 cm to compare stormwater runoff to baseflow conditions. Two streams alone accounted for 76% of inorganic N and 63% of inorganic P surface inflow, whereas 2 other streams, despite high (53–74%) impervious coverage, had low loading. A lake-wide sediment phosphorus survey also revealed P accumulations mirrored streams of high nutrient load, while low P accumulations were in areas draining streams with large wetland and stormwater treatment areas. Drainage area was positively correlated with nitrate concentration and nitrate and ammonium loading. Unconventionally, percent impervious coverage was negatively correlated with nutrient concentrations and loads; we suspect that the presence of a large golf course in the watershed with the lowest impervious cover was a key driving factor. Our work also demonstrates the significance of catchment features: Drainages with large stormwater retention structures and significant natural wetlands in the lower reaches yielded low nutrient loadings.

Stormwater Retention and Water-Use Efficiency of a Newly-Built Vertical Greenery System Suggests Effective Reduction of Urban Flood Risk

Stormwater Retention and Water-Use Efficiency of a Newly-Built Vertical Greenery System Suggests Effective Reduction of Urban Flood Risk

Herbaceous Planting for Ecological Restoration of Urban Brownfields Based on Mechanisms of the Assembly of Plant Communities

Brownfield restoration has become a frontier topic in the research on urban ecosystem governance. Optimizing brownfield ecosystems through proper bioremediation approaches can provide urban landscapes and habitats with sound ecological potentials. Currently, the lagging theory and technique development of brownfield vegetation restoration, the species selection based on single causality, and the neglect of community structure and ecological functions formation have become major bottlenecks of brownfield restoration. Introducing the mechanisms of the assembly of plant communities for theoretical support, this paper proposes a novel technical framework of herbaceous planting for the ecological restoration of urban brownfields, which includes micro-topographic design, adaptive species selection, symbiosis structure design, building quasi-nature community structure, and <i>in-situ</i> planting. This research selected a brownfield site located in Hechuan District, Chongqing City for the application of the herbaceous planting, and evaluated the ecological benefits after restoration. Results showed that severely degraded brownfield vegetation has turned into an herbaceous community with a multi-species symbiosis and a stable structure, effectively optimizing its ecological functions such as stormwater retention and biodiversity conservation. This research can provide scientific evidence and a referable technical paradigm for urban brownfield restoration, and also contribute to the enhancement of urban ecological networks and ecosystem resilience.

Green Roofs in the Humid Subtropics: The Role of Environmental and Design Factors on Stormwater Retention and Peak Reduction

Green Roofs in the Humid Subtropics: The Role of Environmental and Design Factors on Stormwater Retention and Peak Reduction

Investigating potential hydrological ecosystem services in urban gardens through soil amendment experiments and hydrologic models

Among the ecosystem services provided by urban greenspace are the retention and infiltration of stormwater, which decreases urban flooding, and enhanced evapotranspiration, which helps mitigate urban heat island effects. Some types of urban greenspace, such as rain gardens and green roofs, are intentionally designed to enhance these hydrologic functions. Urban gardens, while primarily designed for food production and aesthetic benefits, may have similar hydrologic function, due to high levels of soil organic matter that promote infiltration and water holding capacity. We quantified leachate and soil moisture from experimental urban garden plots receiving various soil amendments (high and low levels of manure and municipal compost, synthetic fertilizer, and no inputs) over three years. Soil moisture varied across treatments, with highest mean levels observed in plots receiving manure compost, and lowest in plots receiving synthetic fertilizer. Soil amendment treatments explained little of the variation in weekly leachate volume, but among treatments, high municipal compost and synthetic fertilizer had lowest leachate volumes, and high and low manure compost had slightly higher mean leachate volumes. We used these data to parameterize a simple mass balance hydrologic model, focusing on high input municipal compost and no compost garden plots, as well as reference turfgrass plots. We ran the model for three growing seasons under ambient precipitation and three elevated precipitation scenarios. Garden plots received 12–16% greater total water inputs compared to turfgrass plots because of irrigation, but leachate totals were 20–30% lower for garden plots across climate scenarios, due to elevated evapotranspiration, which was 50–60% higher in garden plots. Within each climate scenario, difference between garden plots which received high levels of municipal compost and garden plots which received no additional compost were small relative to differences between garden plots and turfgrass. Taken together, these results indicate that garden soil amendments can influence water retention, and the high-water retention, infiltration, and evapotranspiration potential of garden soils relative to turfgrass indicates that hydrologic ecosystem services may be an underappreciated benefit of urban gardens.

Escherichia coli levels and microbial source tracking in stormwater retention ponds and detention basins.

Little is known about the spatial and temporal changes that occur with Escherichia coli in urban stormwater systems. The goal of this project was to assess E.coli in urban stormwater detention basins and retention ponds, not connected to the sewer system, to determine temporal and spatial differences and evaluate the sources of E.coli utilizing microbial source tracking (MST). Surface water quality was sampled at three detention basins and five retention ponds during major storm events in the summers of 2018 and 2019. One week after each storm, groundwater and surface water were sampled. The MST samples were taken from storm events and normal flows, for both surface and groundwater. E.coli levels were higher during rain events in both detention basins and retention ponds and infrequently met a recreational standard. E.coli in groundwater was pervasive and infrequently met a recreational standard. The MST analysis found sewage, dog, human, and bird markers during storm events and sewage and bird markers during regular flows. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Rain events had significantly more E.coli than during normal flows in both retention ponds and detention basins. E.coli in groundwater was ubiquitous and fluctuates over time. Microbial source tracking (MST) found bird, dog, human, and sewage markers present during all storm events analyzed.

Evapotranspiration Measurements and Assessment of Driving Factors: A Comparison of Different Green Roof Systems during Summer in Germany

Green roofs have proven to be a space-saving solution to mitigate peak temperatures and control floods in urban areas through evaporative cooling and storm water retention. To encourage a sustainable city design with large-scale green infrastructure networks, a better differentiation between the diverse existing green roof systems is needed. The aim of this study is to demonstrate differences among green roof systems based on comprehensive microclimatic measurements on four small experimental roofs and to assess differences in evapotranspiration with a partial least square regression. The results show that short-wave solar radiation, relative humidity and water availability are the most important drivers of evapotranspiration. The roof system with permanent water storage maintained significantly higher substrate moisture compared to the other roofs and produced peak evapotranspiration rates of 4.88 mm d−1. The highest total evapo-transpiration of 526 mm from April to September was recorded for the roof system with the thickest substrate layer and grass vegetation. In summer, the shallowest roof showed the highest substrate temperature and air temperature at vegetation level. These findings highlight the importance of specifying the characteristics of the various green roofs in order to turn them into useful planning tools for the design of climate-change-resilient cities.

The effect of flow partition on storm runoff and pollutant retention through raingardens with and without subsurface drainage

Green infrastructures (GIs) have been advocated worldwide to mitigate the negative impact of urbanization on regional hydrological cycle, their functions are closely related to their design features and the local environmental condition. This paper reports a field monitoring study that aimed to investigate how runoff partition in raingardens would affect flow and pollutant retention. A paired field experiment was conducted to compare runoff and pollutant retentions in two raingardens with and without subsurface drainage in a shallow water table area. Concentrations of ammonia nitrogen (NH3–N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3–N) and total phosphorus (TP) were measured at raingarden inflow, overflow and drainage paths. The results from 28 monitored storm events over two years showed that the raingarden without subsurface drainage achieved its retention mainly through ponding and infiltration, its pollutant retention rates (76% for TP, 81% for NO3–N, and 79% for NH3–N) were higher than its runoff retention rate (61%), indicating a first flush effect on pollutants retention in the raingarden during storm events, especially when the raingarden was empty and dry. The raingarden with subsurface drainage facilitated quick discharge of water, the observed runoff reduction through the raingarden was 36%; pollutant removal rates were quite variable: NH3–N was removed by 91% while the NO3–N and TP were increased by 3–47%. These results suggest that facilitating specific processes for targeted pollutants is necessary for achieving substantial pollutant removal in a stormwater retention device. Subsurface drainage pipes resulted in short circulating of runoff and lowered pollutant removal rates in the raingarden. Considering the water table fluctuation during the experimental period, we recommend to build infiltration-based GI devices to better capture first flush in intensively developed urban area, which caused deeper groundwater table. In conclusion, installations of different GI devices in urban landscape need to consider the local environmental conditions and facilitate the design features to meet specific storm runoff and pollutants mitigation requirement.

River Re-naturalization - a Nature-based Solution for Climate Change in Urban Areas

The subject of the article is river management and their reconstruction in connection with the need to adapt urban areas to climate change. The article presents a fragment of a wider research. The aim of the study is to identify and indicate the main directions of activities undertaken in the field of river reconstruction, based on the analysis of documents and literature on the subject. The case study of the Wandle River - one of the tributaries of the Thames, running through heavily urbanized areas in London, is an example of the restoration of the river. In this case, the use of natural solutions improved: flood and drought risk management, stormwater retention, inhabitants' access to the river and biodiversity of natural habitats associated with the river.