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Urban Drainage Systems and Stormwater Management
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Urban Drainage Systems and Stormwater Management

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Urban Water Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2025 | Viewed by 4574

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Yongwei Gong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China
Interests: urban rainfall runoff; low impact development (LID); urban flooding forecasting; urban flooding control; urban non-point source pollution; combined sewer overflow pollution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

For this Special Issue, we are seeking the submission of papers on the topic of “Urban Drainage Systems and Stormwater Management”.

Extreme rainfall has occurred frequently in recent years, posing unprecedented challenges to urban drainage systems and stormwater management. Urban drainage systems not only need to meet daily demands for rainwater discharge, they also have to deal with the large amount of stormwater and surface runoff caused by extreme weather events. Stormwater management in cities is not only related to flood control and drainage safety, but also involves the protection of the urban ecological environment and the sustainable utilization of water resources. Effective urban drainage systems and stormwater management can reduce urban flooding, improve urban environmental quality, and promote sustainable urban development. There are many factors that affect urban drainage and stormwater management, including, but not limited to, drainage system layout, drainage facility design, rainwater collection and utilization technology, urban greening, soil infiltration, intelligent monitoring and real-time control technology, etc. Traditional drainage system designs often struggle to adapt to rapidly changing urban environments and climate conditions, making the advancement of urban drainage systems and stormwater management technology particularly important. The above research content is closely related to the topic of urban drainage systems and stormwater management.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: urban drainage systems; urban flooding; low-impact development (LID); sponge city; urban rainwater collection; and urban resilience. We also welcome contributions related to the application of intelligent technology to control urban flooding.

Prof. Dr. Yongwei Gong
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • urban drainage systems
  • urban flooding
  • low-impact development (LID)
  • sponge city
  • urban rainwater collection
  • urban resilience

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 20258 KiB  
Article
Toward Urban Micro-Renewal: Integrating “BMP-Plan” and “LID-Design” for Enhanced Stormwater Control—A Case Study
by Zhenxing Huang, Yiyuan Sun, Yanting Fan, Ruofei Guan, Hao Zhang, Lianhai Zhao and Bin Zhang
Water 2025, 17(7), 992; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17070992 - 28 Mar 2025
Viewed by 278
Abstract
This study addresses the growing inadequacies of traditional architectural concepts and techniques in stormwater management amid the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, particularly in densely built urban micro-spaces. To tackle these challenges, we propose an integrated theoretical and practical framework applied to [...] Read more.
This study addresses the growing inadequacies of traditional architectural concepts and techniques in stormwater management amid the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, particularly in densely built urban micro-spaces. To tackle these challenges, we propose an integrated theoretical and practical framework applied to a case study of a small-scale urban public space in Chang’an District, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, covering an area of about 2.15 hectares in North China. The framework combines Best Management Practices Planning (BMP-P) with Low Impact Development Design (LID-D). The framework optimizes sub-catchment delineation, strategically locates drainage outlets, and configures network layouts to reduce runoff path lengths, thereby reducing total runoff volume, enhancing drainage capacity, and alleviating surface water accumulation, which, in turn, informs the parametric design of LID facilities. In the BMP-P phase, four source-control measures were developed based on runoff control and stormwater retention: adjusting terrain slopes, adding or removing curbs and facilities, redistributing infiltration areas, and adjusting drainage outlet and piping layouts. By shortening runoff paths and reducing potential waterlogging areas, these measures effectively reduced total runoff volume (Trv) by 31.5% to 35.7% and peak runoff volume (Prv) by 19.4% to 32.4%. Moreover, by remodeling the stormwater network with a different layout, larger pipe diameters, and substantially increased network capacity, the total discharge (Tdv) increased by 1.8% to 50.2%, and the peak discharge rate (Pdr) increased by 100% to 550%, thus minimizing surface flooding. In the LID-D phase, we developed a Grasshopper-based parametric design program for the layout and design of LID facilities. This approach significantly reduces interdisciplinary communication costs and enhances urban planning efficiency. By integrating BMP and LID strategies, the proposed framework offers a flexible, rapid, and efficient solution for achieving resilient stormwater management in the context of urban micro-renewal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Drainage Systems and Stormwater Management)
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17 pages, 8512 KiB  
Article
Characteristics of Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Heavy Rainfall and Surface Runoff Generating Processes in the Mountainous Areas of Northern China
by Xianglong Hou, Jiansheng Cao and Hui Yang
Water 2025, 17(7), 970; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17070970 - 26 Mar 2025
Viewed by 161
Abstract
It is essential to understand the characteristics of surface runoff generating processes under different heavy rainfall events in mountainous areas. The intensity and duration of precipitation play an important role in surface runoff processes. In this study, annual rainfall characteristics from 1987 to [...] Read more.
It is essential to understand the characteristics of surface runoff generating processes under different heavy rainfall events in mountainous areas. The intensity and duration of precipitation play an important role in surface runoff processes. In this study, annual rainfall characteristics from 1987 to 2023 in the Taihang Mountains were analyzed using the Pearson-III frequency curve, homogeneity tests, and the Mann–Kendall (MK) test. Four surface runoff generation events between 2014 and 2023 were monitored. The contribution of rainfall to runoff variations was quantified through the double mass curve method. Results indicate a significant increase in the frequency of moderate and heavy rainfall events over the last decade. Spatial variability of rainfall and elevation effects in the Taihang Mountains becomes less pronounced when 24 h rainfall is below 50 mm. The two surface runoff processes in 2016 and 2023 were typical runoff resulting from excess rain, which belonged to the storm runoff. The two surface runoff processes in 2021 were runoff generation under saturated conditions. For runoff generation under saturated conditions, the contribution of rainfall was only 58.17%. When the runoff coefficient exceeded 0.5, the surface runoff generating processes were entirely determined by rainfall. This study suggested that for semi-arid regions, where rainfall is unevenly distributed over the seasons, more soil water is needed to maintain local and downstream water demand during the non-rainy season. The limitations of the study are the lack of research on factors other than rainfall that intrinsically affect the surface runoff generating process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Drainage Systems and Stormwater Management)
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22 pages, 32062 KiB  
Article
Compound Flood Risk Assessment of Extreme Rainfall and High River Water Level
by Wanchun Li, Chengbo Wang, Junfeng Mo, Shaoxuan Hou, Xin Dang, Honghong Shi and Yongwei Gong
Water 2025, 17(6), 841; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17060841 - 14 Mar 2025
Viewed by 390
Abstract
Urban flooding is typically caused by multiple factors, with extreme rainfall and rising water levels in receiving bodies both contributing to increased flood risks. This study focuses on assessing urban flood risks in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, China, considering the combined effects of [...] Read more.
Urban flooding is typically caused by multiple factors, with extreme rainfall and rising water levels in receiving bodies both contributing to increased flood risks. This study focuses on assessing urban flood risks in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, China, considering the combined effects of extreme rainfall and high river water levels. Using historical data from Jinhua station (2005–2022), the study constructed a joint probability distribution of rainfall and water levels via a copula function. The findings show that the risk probability of combined rainfall and high water levels is significantly higher than considering each factor separately, indicating that ignoring their interaction could greatly underestimate flood risks. Scenario simulations using the Infoworks ICM model demonstrate that flood areas range from 0.67% to 5.39% under the baseline scenario but increase to 8.98–12.80% when combined with a 50a return period water level. High river water levels play a critical role in increasing both the extent and depth of flooding, especially when low rainfall coincides with high water levels. These findings highlight the importance of considering compound disaster-causing factors in flood risk assessment and can serve as a reference for urban drainage and flood control planning and risk management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Drainage Systems and Stormwater Management)
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14 pages, 1897 KiB  
Article
Mitigating the Effects of Low-Impact Development on Waterlogging and Non-Point Pollution Under Different Confluence Relationships
by Dan Xu, Dongdong Liu, Qian Xu and Zhihong Yan
Water 2024, 16(24), 3721; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16243721 - 23 Dec 2024
Viewed by 798
Abstract
Intensifying urbanization and climate change have highlighted the growing role of low-impact development (LID) practices in urban rainwater management systems. However, there is still room for improvement to optimally deploy LID practices, especially under different confluence relationships. In this study, 36 scenarios were [...] Read more.
Intensifying urbanization and climate change have highlighted the growing role of low-impact development (LID) practices in urban rainwater management systems. However, there is still room for improvement to optimally deploy LID practices, especially under different confluence relationships. In this study, 36 scenarios were designed based on different rainfall conditions, LID practices, confluence relationships, and locations, which were analyzed using hybrid hydraulic and water quality modeling. The following key results were obtained: (1) Series II was the main confluence path in the study area. The greenbelt occupied a large share; accordingly, the control of waterlogging and non-point source pollution in series II was better in the designed rainfall scenarios. (2) In the designed rainfall scenarios, series I had the best mitigation effect on waterlogging and non-point source pollution, with 24.5%, 16.4%, and 15.2% lower values than those of the series II and Parallel scenarios. There were no significant differences among the three confluence relationships under extreme rainfall. (3) Among the different LID practices, bioretention cells contributed to the maximum reduction in pollution (29.91%). Green roofs and permeable pavement resulted in the maximum reductions in total runoff (27.99% and 22.94%, respectively), and permeable pavement also reduced pollution by 26.50%. These results suggest that the pavement at some waterlogging points should be replaced with permeable pavement to avoid the negative effects of future extreme rainfall. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Drainage Systems and Stormwater Management)
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Review

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17 pages, 2199 KiB  
Review
Stormwater Management in Urban Coastal Areas—A Review
by António Geraldes, Francisco Piqueiro, Cristina Santos and Cristina Matos
Water 2024, 16(19), 2717; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16192717 - 24 Sep 2024
Viewed by 2098
Abstract
Stormwater management in coastal urban cities, where drainage networks are influenced by marine dynamics and specific soil and altimetry conditions, has specific challenges that need to be addressed to ensure adequate management in such areas, which are also heavily affected by floods. Their [...] Read more.
Stormwater management in coastal urban cities, where drainage networks are influenced by marine dynamics and specific soil and altimetry conditions, has specific challenges that need to be addressed to ensure adequate management in such areas, which are also heavily affected by floods. Their location downstream of drainage basins and the interaction of network outfalls with current and tidal variability increases the vulnerability of populations and should therefore be the target of specific studies. This article presents a literature review, where publications that focus on stormwater management in coastal urban areas were identified and analyzed. The main objective was to present the key issues related to drainage in coastal areas, the most relevant challenges, the solutions and strategies that reveal the greater potential for application and the challenges for modeling this type of case. It is intended to provide a grounded basis for new ways of optimizing stormwater drainage in coastal areas and promote a sustainable urban water cycle. This review reveals the necessity to implement a multidisciplinary approach to minimize three main issues: urban flooding, stormwater pollution and groundwater salinization, including the adaptation of existing infrastructures, complementing them with control solutions at source, correct urban planning and the involvement of populations. For an effective management of urban stormwater drainage in coastal areas, this approach must be carried out on a watershed scale, duly supported by reliable decision support tools and monitoring systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Drainage Systems and Stormwater Management)
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