List of Figures II Abbreviations & Glossary III 1.0 Introduction

1. Introduction

1.1 Stormwater Sector Overview

After assessing the city on the lines of stormwater management, White water resource, urban flood mitigation, green infrastructure, and sustainable stormwater approach are potential places for intervention and lay the basis for thematic mapping over which we tried to come up with solutions further detailing them into possible projects which cover aspects such as Reducing stress on existing Water resources, Public health, SuDS, LID, intersectoral overlaps in WASH taking into consideration the needs and future capacity of Ahmedabad city. We formulated our vision and objectives based on the learnings of the city assessment and innovative national and international good practices. Our vision is Sustainable Stormwater Management to rejuvenate water resources and build resilience against urban floods and waterlogging. To accomplish this, our objectives are to use stormwater as a resource and manage rainwater runoff as a concern. Management in one sector leads to a smooth flow of services in others. Stormwater if managed properly can reduce the water stress in the city significantly. To reach a comprehensive stormwater management plan, we need to efficiently harvest, soak, manage, and store rainwater which can be achieved through interlinking our proposals.

A wide range of white-water benefits often remains unknown, poorly measured, or undervalued. Improper stormwater management affects the vitality and viability of the communities and the city. As a result, the interventions are visualized with long-term and short-term objectives at regional, city, LAP, and project levels. The interventions are an effort to deal with pressing issues of climate change and move towards sustainable development which covers four Sustainable Development Goals of climate change, sustainable cities, clean water and sanitation, life below water, and life on land. The following interventions reduce the risk of waterlogging, the vulnerability of slums, and pressure on drainage coverage and improvement in green cover, water bodies along their catchments.

Develop a Green Field area using Low Impact Development Concept to manage Storm Water through the Town Planning Scheme Mechanism. Another way to seep more stormwater into the ground is in the form of sponge open spaces. How to reduce the vulnerability in slums. Stormwater management strategies at the catchment level – Lake Rejuvenation Revivifying course: Envisioning the city through an urban water channel

The intervention outlined in this report focuses on stormwater management practices to intervene at the regional level along the course of the urban water channel (Kharicut canal) located on the eastern part of Ahmedabad city.

1 Master of Urban Infrastructure 2019-21

Revivifying Course: Envisioning The City Through An Urban Water Channel

1.2. About the Project

Urban floodplains are prime components of river ecosystems. They play multiple roles, such as helping absorb excess water during flooding, act as a filter to improving surface water quality, and provide a habitat for wildlife. Floodplain refers to the land adjoining a river or urban stream that is subject to flooding during periods of high discharge. It means that floodplains may be inundated with water only during specific periods of the year while remaining dry during the rest. Floodplains depending on the stretch of the river or urban stream could be forested areas, grasslands, sustenance agriculture, and water bodies such as lakes and ponds. Ahmedabad‘s disappearing natural streams, decreasing water flow, and drying of water bodies due to a multitude of reasons ranging from loss of catchment area to rapid development have made the floodplains vulnerable.

Urbanization has adversely affected the natural drainage pattern of the city too, which results in more water-logged areas and periodic flooding. Besides the increased spatial stormwater coverage, the drainage channels experience negative consequences of urbanization, also evident through pollution of stormwater runoff, mixed sewers, and mismanagement of solid waste. As a consequence, the management of urban runoff not only mitigates the presence of natural drains but also reduces the stress on water resources through a sustainable approach. The project thought represents the challenges and opportunities for stormwater management practices along the course of an urban water channel (Kharicut canal) in the age of planning smart cities.

1.2 Need for the Project

The 138 years old Kharicut Canal flows through the GIDC estates at Naroda, Odhav, and Vatva, amongst the highly industrialized golden corridor of Gujarat. Essentially built to provide irrigation and water supply facilities to the nearby villages of the eastern part of Ahmedabad, the urban water channel also acts as a lake feeder and serves as stormwater drainage during monsoon. The effluents from waterintensive industrial units finding their way into the canal through open drains and illegal dumping of solid waste from urban areas have led to the deterioration of waterbody, groundwater pollution, water logging problems, and crop failure in the water channel downstream. At present, the city overlooked its (mis)use, and the Kharicut canal system, which was once, remodelled to prevent flooding in the Eastern part, has lost its purpose. The nature-based solutions will suffice stormwater management in the urban area and bring the course of urban water channel back to its life.

Water and Sanitation Studio 2020 |Stormwater Sector 2