How to create resilient cities against flooding?
Three years ago the Vesdre and the Ourthe valleys were hit by floodings severely affecting multiple Walloon communes. To become more prepared and resilient after the devastation, the Service Public de Wallonie (SPW) initiated a series of hydrological and urbanistic studies in which Sweco’s brought its expertise towards a sustainable transition.
Rethinking public spaces
The SPW selected our experts to guide and support the affected municipalities of Verviers, Trooz, Rendeux, and Laroche-en-Ardennes with urban and hydrologic strategic support under a framework contract. The aim is to increase resilience by mitigating future floods through demineralization and integrated water management strategies. Our goal is to create a living environment that is not only safe and sustainable but also enjoyable to live in, all while strengthening the territory’s resilience through enhanced water management and climate change adaptation.
We adopted a strategic approach and utilized concrete operational and strategic tools tailored to the specific needs of each commune. Additionally, we partnered with Idea consult to identify financial levers and key partners per strategic actions.
From diagnosis to operational sketches
Working collaboratively, our teams at Sweco combined their expertise in urban planning, ecology, landscape, infrastructure, and hydrology to create resilient cities. Our projects began with a comprehensive diagnosis, encompassing various aspects such as the blue and green network, mobility, urban conditions, heritage, and human factors. This thematic diagnosis allowed us to gain a holistic understanding of the systemic challenges at different scales.
In the second part of the project, we presented a strategic and operational trajectory that provided a comprehensive overview of the existing situation and the action to be taken. This roadmap included:
- strategic plans to track the transition on short- and long-term vision,
- linked to a large referential of concrete actions to be taken,
- a series of inspirational and illustrated development schemes.
To ensure a well-rounded approach, the whole process was supported by sounded hydrological valuable insights and recommendations.
Nature based solutions
Until recently, solutions for reducing the risk of disasters and building climate resilience have mainly focused on grey infrastructure such as storm drains, embankments or retaining walls. However, grey infrastructure is seldom the most resilient, sustainable, or most cost effective. Instead, planners are beginning to turn to the use of natural elements and processes, called nature-based solutions (NBS). Nature-based solutions played a crucial role in guiding our efforts in this project.
A digital touch
As a result, each commune was handed a strategic georeferenced cartography. The tool is a solid base to keep track and monitor the implementation of the multiple operations envisioned. This management tool was built in collaboration with the communes and brings a clear understanding of the region and facilitates informed decision-making for upcoming initiatives.
before
after