Exploring the impact of nature-based solutions for hydrological extremes mitigation in small mixed urban-forest catchment

Pérez-Corredor, Lina (author), Hume, Samuel Edvard (author), Alivio, Mark Bryan (author), Bezak, Nejc (author)

ManyregionsinEuropefaceincreasingissueswithfloodinganddroughtsduetochanging rainfall patterns caused by climate change. For example, higher rainfall intensities increase urban f looding. Nature‑based solutions (NbS) are suggested as a key mitigation strategy for floods. This study aims to address and mitigate the challenges faced in Tivoli natural park in Ljubljana regarding high peak discharges and low‑flow issues in the creek entering the sewer system. The study involves setting up, calibrating and validating a Hydrologic Engineering Centre–Hydrologic Modelling System(HEC‑HMS)modelusingavailabledata. ThisstudyanalysesNbS,suchassmallponds, green roofs and permeable paving, to reduce peak discharge. Runoff was reduced by an average of 32.4% with all NbS implemented and peak discharge by 20 L/s. Permeable parking performed best, with an average runoff reduction of 6.4%, compared to 4.8% for permeable streets and 5.9% for green roofs. The ponds reduced peak discharge, although their effectiveness varied between rainfall events. Rainfall events with higher volumes and durations tended to overwhelm the proposed solutions, reducing their effectiveness. The ability of HEC‑HMS to model NbS is also discussed. The curve number (CN) parameter and impervious % alterations to simulate NbS provided quantitative data on changes in runoff and discharge.

• Language: English
• Keywords: hydrological modelling, runoff, peak discharge, urban water management, stormwater drainage
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FGG - Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 18 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 14, iss. 24, art. 11813
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-166078
• UDC: 624.131
• ISSN on article: 2076-3417
• DOI: 10.3390/app142411813
• COBISS.SI-ID: 219866627
• Publication date in RUL: 19.12.2024

PÉREZ-CORREDOR, Lina, HUME, Samuel Edvard, ALIVIO, Mark Bryan and BEZAK, Nejc, 2024, Exploring the impact of nature-based solutions for hydrological extremes mitigation in small mixed urban-forest catchment. Applied sciences [online]. 2024. Vol. 14, no. 24,  11813. [Accessed 15 August 2025]. DOI 10.3390/app142411813. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=166078

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Applied sciences
• Shortened title: Appl. sci.
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2076-3417
• COBISS.SI-ID: 522979353

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Preučevanje vpliva naravnih rešitev za obvladovanje hidroloških ekstremov v majhnem urbano-gozdnem porečju
• Keywords: hidrološko modeliranje, odtok, maksimalni pretok, upravljanje z vodami v mestih, odvajanje padavinske vode

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: J6-4628
• Name: Vrednotenje hibridne infrastrukture za zmanjševanje ogroženosti pod vplivom podnebnih sprememb