Sponge Cities Advanced Solution to Urban Flooding
As frequent and extreme global environmental changes and droughts render catastrophic impacts on millions around the world. Recent destruction brought by Pakistan flood 2022 has compelled the real estate developers and town planners to think of the Sponge Cities—Advanced Solution to Urban Flooding. As the researchers realize the significance of the idea apart from climate change, the other property and real estate development programs are redesigned in Pakistan. Such as urban sprawl, floating homes, industrial farming, as well as the engineering mechanism used to regulate water— to overcome the escalating impacts of these natural disasters.
What is a Sponge City?
A “sponge city” refers to a natural urban development solution that renders the landscape and land terrain mechanism. The solution is designed to retain water at its gushing source, regulate rainwater flow, and purify the water as it passes through the erected plants and trees.
How does the Model Work?
The sponge city model controls the natural or unnatural flow of rainwater or floodwater to regulate its flow. It may also help stand out the flooding, prevent land erosion, absorb carbon dioxide, improve animal and plant life, and create a curb appeal in the city landscape with green spaces. The model will be applied in the upcoming real estate development projects. If the same city model is adopted in Pakistan with the Chinese mechanical assistance, it can assist Pakistan fight and preventing flooding and its effects in major cities of Pakistan.
How Sponge Cities are Developed
The commitment of this project is as per the following: metropolitan stormwater seepage framework is examined according to the latest town planning point of view. For instance, the water flow around the city and nearby areas in Pakistan is observed to see how water flows. The general impact of Sponge urban areas on the model gets dissected. From the rest of the city, involving the distinction in contrast. It utilizes civil spending information to uncover shifts in government inclinations for various sorts of foundations. It also confirming the effect of focal government-started pilots on nearby developments.
Three paradigms are adopted to implement the sponge city development.
It is adopted to accomplish the first practice in three ways. The first is at the ground source, where rainwater is subject to passing numerous ponds and craters. Plants and trees are planted much like a sponge filling innumerable holes.
The second paradigm is via the flow, where off-course rivers are controlled with vegetation or wetlands to speed down. The water flow rather than making it keep flowing off-channel. It rapidly moves away, so the direction are made as in the labyrinth to downsize the speed. The additional benefit of this is the model of green areas, green turf, horticulture, and animal and plant inhabitation. Purification of land surface with water flow through the disposal of pollutants and nutrients by trees and plants.
The third paradigm is the basin, in which water drains into like a lake, pond, river, or ocean. That is where the floodwater is engulfed, which is an essential factor in preventing flooding.