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Updated: May 21, 2026
13:48
Design and Construction of an Urban Runoff Research Facility
Published on: August 8, 2014
Key issues for sustainable urban stormwater management
A E Barbosa1, J N Fernandes, L M David
1National Laboratory for Civil Engineering - LNEC, Av. do Brasil, 101, 1700-066 Lisboa, Portugal. aestela@lnec.pt
Water Research
|June 13, 2012
Summary
Effective urban stormwater management requires a flexible, locally-adapted approach. Best Management Practices (BMPs) offer opportunities for environmental and social improvement, necessitating stakeholder involvement for informed decision-making.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Urban Planning
- Public Health
Background:
- Stormwater runoff from urban areas carries pollutants, impacting public health and the environment.
- Historical perceptions of stormwater management have evolved, yet global research remains uneven, particularly in Asian and African countries.
- Current sanitation infrastructure varies significantly across urbanized regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To inform strategies for sustainable urban stormwater management.
- To highlight the need for understanding decision consequences and available possibilities.
- To provide a framework for assessing relevant factors and their interactions in urban development.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical and current approaches to stormwater management.
- Analysis of factors influencing decision-making, including local characteristics, temporal, spatial, and administrative elements.
- Development of a flowchart to guide urban development decisions regarding stormwater.
Main Results:
- Sustainable stormwater management requires flexible strategies tailored to local conditions.
- Best Management Practices (BMPs) can enhance social, educational, and environmental conditions.
- A comprehensive understanding of influencing factors and stakeholder participation is crucial for effective decision-making.
Conclusions:
- Informed, high-quality decisions in stormwater management necessitate time and a holistic overview.
- Integrating local characteristics and diverse factors is key to successful urban stormwater management.
- The presented flowchart serves as a guide for incorporating essential information into urban development processes.
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