Author(s): Farhad Yazdandoost; Yaser Tahmasebi Birgani; Mani Moghadam
Linked Author(s): Farhad Yazdandoost
Keywords: Stormwater management; Resilience; Risk management; BMPs; MCDM
Abstract: Tackling the challenge of stormwater management requires a move from the generally examined local crisis management approach to a basin-wide holistic urban drainage approach within the context of Integrated Storm Water Management. Many engineering solutions such as Best Management Practices (BMPs) are implemented to help integrated stormwater management in urban areas whilst urban flooding continues to occur. The concept of ‘resilience’ is appropriately addressed in this regard. Resilience in storm water management is defined as the capacity of a system to tolerate flood events and to return to a normal situation after flooding. Resilient strategies are focused on reducing the consequences of floods and increasing the speed of recovery instead of trying to reduce the frequency of flooding events. A resilience index has been introduced here as the “Recovery Capacity” and has been applied for prioritization of different BMPs scenarios. The methodology has been applied for the 22nd municipal district of Tehran (Iran). Many investigators have applied LID- BMPs in their case studies to mitigate stormwater adverse impacts. The most applied objectives considered have been the volume and the peak flow rate reductions as well as pollutant loads. Although these investigations are adequate for decision making at preliminary stormwater planning stages where stakeholders’ preferences in a subjective manner are important, it seems that use of qualitative decision making alone cannot be adequate in terms of efficient urban drainage systems. To handle these problems, a comprehensive MCDM tool, “Definite Software”, has been used in this research with an ability to use both qualitative and quantitative criteria to prioritize BMPs scenarios. Results indicate the ability of ranking scenarios based on technical, social, environmental and economic aspects thereby providing an effective tool for urban developers and managers to adopt more resilient-sustainable decisions in urban areas.
Year: 2013