The city of Glasgow, Scotland is launching a project designed to better manage rainwater with the aim of reducing the negative economic and social impact of flooding to homes, businesses and transportation, as well as improving green space and protecting waterways from pollution.
The Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership (MDGSP) is working with partners to deliver a program of schemes to “sustainably drain Glasgow,” targeting areas across the city where rainfall adversely impacts communities. Its vision is, “to transform how the city region thinks about and manages rainfall to end uncontrolled flooding and improve water quality.”
The project will work to better manage surface water, especially during extreme weather, as well as using existing space to temporarily store floodwater. In addition, a new drainage basin will be created to store and treat rainwater before slowly releasing it back into a stream. Plants will be added to the basin, not only to clean the water run-off but also to improve the attractiveness and biodiversity of the area. Project benefits will include enhanced landscaping, footpath construction, a new pedestrian footbridge, work experience opportunities for young people, and the creation of natural play areas.
MDGSP recently completed the construction of Glasgow’s Smart Canal – which uses a 250-year-old canal and smart technology to reduce flood risk and the impacts of climate change, while also unlocking 110 hectares across the north of the city for investment, regeneration, and development. The project uses sensor and predictive weather technology to provide early warning of rain before moving excess rainfall from residential and business areas into stretches of the canal. It created 55,000 cubic meters of extra capacity for floodwater – equivalent to 22 Olympic swimming pools.