Integrating Nature-Based Solutions for Increased Resilience to Urban Flooding in the Climate Change Context

As climate change intensifies with more frequent and severe flood events, urban areas face increasing challenges to protect population wellbeing. Amid urban development challenges, political uncertainty, and socioeconomic pressures, finding sustainable solutions to enhance urban resilience has becom...

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Main Authors: George Radu, Maria Ilinca Chevereșan, Sorin Perju, Alina Bărbulescu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Hydrology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/12/1/16
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author George Radu
Maria Ilinca Chevereșan
Sorin Perju
Alina Bărbulescu
author_facet George Radu
Maria Ilinca Chevereșan
Sorin Perju
Alina Bărbulescu
author_sort George Radu
collection DOAJ
description As climate change intensifies with more frequent and severe flood events, urban areas face increasing challenges to protect population wellbeing. Amid urban development challenges, political uncertainty, and socioeconomic pressures, finding sustainable solutions to enhance urban resilience has become urgent and complex. This article explores the limitations of traditional drainage systems in an urban zone of Bucharest, Romania, and the integration of nature-based solutions for flood mitigation. We compare the existing situation with those simulated in a climate change scenario before and after implementing green solutions. The imperviousness of parking lots was set at 60%, that of green roofs at 65%, and that of parking lots at 85%. A hydraulic model was used for this purpose. The results demonstrate that the current stormwater systems struggle to meet the demands of increasing rainfall intensity and highlight how sustainable strategies can effectively address extreme weather challenges while contributing to the restoration of natural environments within the city. In the case of using ‘gray’ solutions, only 10–20% of the area affected by floods is reduced. In comparison, a combination of gray and green infrastructure achieved an average reduction in peak water levels of 0.76 m.
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series Hydrology
spelling doaj-art-020b9f6f106841338e80a89089eca7772025-01-24T13:34:55ZengMDPI AGHydrology2306-53382025-01-011211610.3390/hydrology12010016Integrating Nature-Based Solutions for Increased Resilience to Urban Flooding in the Climate Change ContextGeorge Radu0Maria Ilinca Chevereșan1Sorin Perju2Alina Bărbulescu3DHI SW Project, 22 Nicolae G. Caramfil Street, 014143 Bucharest, RomaniaDepartment of Hydrotechnics, Faculty of Hydrotechnics, Technical University of Civil Engineering, 122-124 Bd. Lacul Tei, 020396 Bucharest, RomaniaDepartment of Hydrotechnics, Faculty of Hydrotechnics, Technical University of Civil Engineering, 122-124 Bd. Lacul Tei, 020396 Bucharest, RomaniaTransilvania University of Brașov, 5 Turnului Str., 500152 Brașov, RomaniaAs climate change intensifies with more frequent and severe flood events, urban areas face increasing challenges to protect population wellbeing. Amid urban development challenges, political uncertainty, and socioeconomic pressures, finding sustainable solutions to enhance urban resilience has become urgent and complex. This article explores the limitations of traditional drainage systems in an urban zone of Bucharest, Romania, and the integration of nature-based solutions for flood mitigation. We compare the existing situation with those simulated in a climate change scenario before and after implementing green solutions. The imperviousness of parking lots was set at 60%, that of green roofs at 65%, and that of parking lots at 85%. A hydraulic model was used for this purpose. The results demonstrate that the current stormwater systems struggle to meet the demands of increasing rainfall intensity and highlight how sustainable strategies can effectively address extreme weather challenges while contributing to the restoration of natural environments within the city. In the case of using ‘gray’ solutions, only 10–20% of the area affected by floods is reduced. In comparison, a combination of gray and green infrastructure achieved an average reduction in peak water levels of 0.76 m.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/12/1/16sewerage networkhydraulic modelingnature-based solutionsclimate change
spellingShingle George Radu
Maria Ilinca Chevereșan
Sorin Perju
Alina Bărbulescu
Integrating Nature-Based Solutions for Increased Resilience to Urban Flooding in the Climate Change Context
Hydrology
sewerage network
hydraulic modeling
nature-based solutions
climate change
title Integrating Nature-Based Solutions for Increased Resilience to Urban Flooding in the Climate Change Context
title_full Integrating Nature-Based Solutions for Increased Resilience to Urban Flooding in the Climate Change Context
title_fullStr Integrating Nature-Based Solutions for Increased Resilience to Urban Flooding in the Climate Change Context
title_full_unstemmed Integrating Nature-Based Solutions for Increased Resilience to Urban Flooding in the Climate Change Context
title_short Integrating Nature-Based Solutions for Increased Resilience to Urban Flooding in the Climate Change Context
title_sort integrating nature based solutions for increased resilience to urban flooding in the climate change context
topic sewerage network
hydraulic modeling
nature-based solutions
climate change
url https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/12/1/16
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AT sorinperju integratingnaturebasedsolutionsforincreasedresiliencetourbanfloodingintheclimatechangecontext
AT alinabarbulescu integratingnaturebasedsolutionsforincreasedresiliencetourbanfloodingintheclimatechangecontext