Two articles

1.  What would an entirely flood-proof city look like?

They call it “pave, pipe, and pump”: the mentality that has dominated urban development for over a century.

Along with the explosion of the motorcar in the early 20th century came paved surfaces. Rainwater – instead of being sucked up by plants, evaporating, or filtering through the ground back to rivers and lakes – was suddenly forced to slide over pavements and roads into drains, pipes and sewers. Their maximum capacities are based on scenarios such as 10-year storms. And once they clog, the water – with nowhere else to go – simply rises. The reality of climate change and more frequent and intense downpours has exposed the hubris of this approach. As the recent floods from Bangladesh to Texas show, it’s not just the unprecedented magnitude of storms that can cause disaster: it’s urbanisation. Click here to read more

2.  Innovative and Integrated Stormwater Management

A new report from the US includes a range of Innovative and Integrated Stormwater Management examples from around the globe. It includes lessons learned and the challenges associated with flood mitigation programs, integrated stormwater management initiatives and regulatory compliance.