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Influence of Near‐to‐Nature Stormwater Management on the Local Water Balance Using the Example of an Urban Development Area
Author(s) -
Keßler Sabine,
Meyer Berenike,
Seeling Stephan,
Tressel Elisabeth,
Krein Andreas
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143012x13347678384729
Subject(s) - rainwater harvesting , environmental science , stormwater , hydrology (agriculture) , groundwater , water balance , surface runoff , low impact development , watershed , tributary , precipitation , surface water , water resource management , stormwater management , environmental engineering , geography , computer science , meteorology , geology , ecology , geotechnical engineering , cartography , machine learning , biology
Near‐to‐nature stormwater management aims at replicating the quasi‐natural local water balance and preserving the ecosystem's integrity of affected waters. Surface waters in the urban areas of Trier‐Petrisberg are managed by a separate sewer system in conjunction with a complex retention system. To investigate the effect of this alternative rainwater management practice on the local water balance, a differentiated discharge and groundwater monitoring network with a high spatio‐temporal measurement resolution has been implemented within the watershed. Additional information regarding the proportion and spatial distribution of discharge‐generating surfaces was provided through visual interpretation of aerial photographs. As a result of this analysis, groundwater levels were found to not be significantly affected by an increase of local sealed surfaces, and the ecologically‐justifiable maximum discharge in the tributary was infrequently exceeded. Regarding further building development and climate change, the hydrological load capacity of the retention basins will provide effective rainwater management, even with respect to increasing precipitation intensities and frequencies.