Article | REF: C5231 V1

Alternative Stormwater Management

Author: Jean-Marc BERLAND

Publication date: April 10, 2025 | Lire en français

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Overview

ABSTRACT

The major challenges of stormwater management are to prevent flooding, control water volumes and protect the quality of receiving environments.

This article shows the importance of alternative stormwater management in meeting the challenges of urbanisation and climate change, by incorporating sustainable solutions inspired by natural processes. It also discusses the negative environmental impacts of inadequate management, such as pollution and soil erosion.

The article presents strategies such as management at source, green infrastructures and decentralised approaches to improve the resilience of infrastructures to rainfall events.

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AUTHOR

  • Jean-Marc BERLAND: Doctorate in environmental science and technology from the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (France) - Senior Project Manager, International Office for Water

 INTRODUCTION

Stormwater management has become a major issue in the context of growing urbanization and contemporary environmental challenges.

Stormwater includes all precipitation such as rain, snow and hail. It forms water flows that interact with a multitude of surfaces, both natural and man-made. Its behavior in the urban environment is of particular concern, as the sealing of soils due to urban infrastructures significantly increases runoff, increasing the risk of flooding and degradation of water quality and receiving environments.

Water management is based on quantitative objectives – to prevent flooding and control water volumes – and qualitative objectives to prevent pollution of receiving environments.

Faced with the limitations of traditional approaches that focus on the rapid evacuation of water, Alternative Rainwater Management (ARWM) proposes a new, more sustainable vision, inspired by natural processes. By incorporating innovative solutions such as rain gardens and green infrastructure, GAEP aims not only to reduce the risk of flooding, but also to preserve biodiversity and urban ecosystems.

This document explores the different aspects of stormwater management, highlighting their environmental impact, the challenges posed by inadequate management, and the contribution of alternative and decentralized solutions to improving the resilience of our infrastructures to rainfall events.

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KEYWORDS

precipitation   |   Water pollution   |   floods   |   strom water   |   urbanization   |   Green infrastructures   |   runoff   |   sealing   |   ARM   |   groundwater


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Alternative rainwater management (GAEP)
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