Author(s): Xuan Wu; Patrick Willems
Linked Author(s): Patrick Willems
Keywords: Blue and green infrastructures Flood and drought mitigation Stormwater management Climate change adaptation
Abstract: Blue and Green Infrastructures (BGIs) are natural or semi-natural systems regarded as efficient solutions for enhancing stormwater management and have great potential as climate adaptation strategies. This study investigates the potential of BGIs to mitigate floods and droughts under present, future wet, and future dry climate scenarios. A fine-scale water balance model was developed to simulate surface runoff and groundwater levels. Results show that implementing BGIs reduces the average annual total discharge volume by approximately 90% across all climate scenarios. Additionally, BGIs significantly enhance groundwater recharge, particularly under future wet conditions, with monthly average groundwater levels increasing by 0.08 m to 0.15 m, most notably between May and August. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of BGIs in stormwater management and enhancing water sustainability under changing climate conditions.
Year: 2025