Integrated flood management in urban environment: a case study

Abstract

During the last decades, the urban creek of the Portuguese city of Guimarães was subjected to strong anthropogenic pressures, resulting in its water quality degradation, and the increasing occurrence of downtown floods. Worldwide, the paradigm of flood protection is changing to one of flood risk management, recognising that managed flooding is essential for a sustainable flood strategy, which success depends on integrating defence structures and early warning systems with improved understanding of the river systems. The Guimarães European Capital of Culture 2012 project supports strategic investments in knowledge, technology and innovation, aiming to improve citizens’ life quality, through the urban requalification of the historic centre; which includes the revitalization of the Couros creek and a new living with floods approach. Hydrological studies were performed to understand the rainfall/runoff process in order to mitigate the uncertainty of flood flows definition of rivers in urban environment. A hydrodynamic model was developed and applied to simulate the creek’s hydraulic behaviour, under different management scenarios, integrating all the main urban constraints. Simulation results allowed to prioritize the chirurgical structural interventions and to assess the impacts of the rehabilitation measures in this urban catchment, contributing as a key factor to enhance the attractiveness and sustainability of this historic city.