Estate Living Magazine Estate Living Issue 29 May | Page 37

Images: pre and post Servest integrated approach
with in-situ approaches to reducing the rate and/or volume
of overland stormwater runoff from urban infrastructure, and
increase groundwater replenishment in-line with sustainable
drainage systems (SuDS) principles.
Depending on the project, solutions may be implemented
at source, in small neighbourhoods, or even regionally.
At-source solutions include rainwater harvesting and/or
At the onset of each project, it is important to identify and
understand the connections of the river or stream with its
catchment, and with other rivers and floodplains, and then to
find immediate, if imperfect, short term mitigation, medium term
strategies and ultimately, long term sustainable solutions.
Short term solutions usually involve increasing riverbank
stabilisation by maximising vegetation cover within the riparian
corridor, and possibly some other short term,
mechanical
interventions.
rain gardens. Neighbourhood-scale solutions may include
bioswales and/or bioretention areas, while regional strategies
include the construction of wetlands and retention ponds.
Medium term solutions involve increasing the lateral river The creation of rain gardens, bioswales and wetlands has the
movements, to allow for the creation of a dynamically stable added advantage of biologically “cleaning” run-off before it is
riparian zone that can accommodate flood events. There are returned to rivers. And all of these strategies, when successfully
various ways to achieve this, but a simple solution is through the applied, will ultimately result in the rejuvenation of urban rivers,
creation of floodplains and wetlands. In other words, allowing – the return of birds and animals and perhaps even fish, making
but containing – a certain level of flooding. urban waterways the pleasant little havens of peace and
tranquillitythat they should be.
Long term solutions involve a completely integrated approach
aimed at reducing the incidence and severity of flooding. This is
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usually done in conjunction with local stakeholders who assist
www.estate-living.com | 37