Urban Sustainability and River Restoration: Green and Blue Infrastructure

Content: Preface ix     About the Authors xi     Acknowledgements xiii     Foreword xiv     PART A DEFINITION OF THE ISSUE 1     1 Green and Blue Infrastructure in Cities 3     1.1 Definitions 3     1.2 Economic and environmental benefits 5     References 7     2 Climate Change: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies 10     2.1 Climate change and sustainable development 10     2.2 Impacts and risks in (of) urban areas 11     2.3 Mitigation and adaptation strategies 12     References 14     3 Environmental and Ecological Imbalances in Dense Urban Areas 17     3.1 Sustainable urban design 17     3.2 Imbalances in cities 19     3.3 Benefits connected to vegetation 20     References 22     4 Water in Urban Areas: Ecological and Environmental Issues and Strategies 26     4.1 Urbanisation and the water cycle 26     4.2 Perspectives and strategies 30     References 33     5 Ecosystem Services in Urban Areas     Social, Environmental, and Economic Benefits 36     5.1 Human activities and ecosystems 36     5.2 Green and blue infrastructure supporting ecosystem health 37     5.3 Economic value of urban ecosystems 37     References 42     PART B STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES 45     6 Green and Blue Infrastructure     Vegetated Systems 47     6.1 The role of GBI vegetation 47     6.2 Multifunctional ecological systems in urban areas 48     6.3 Vegetative biofilters 52     6.4 Infiltration basins 55     6.5 Bioretention Systems 56     6.6 Wetland ponds 57     6.7 Green roofs 58     References 60     7 Green and Blue Infrastructure     Unvegetated Systems 63     7.1 Unvegetated green and blue infrastructure 63     7.2 Water squares 64     7.3 Porous paving/pervious paving 66     7.4 Infiltration trenches 67     7.5 Treatment train 70     References 73     8 Urban River Restoration 76     8.1 Watershed processes and functions 76     8.2 Degraded river ecosystems 77     8.3 Techniques and strategies for river restoration 80     8.4 Restoring connectivity within urbanised areas 84     References 87     9.1 The Bronx River, USA     Strategies and Techniques 93     9.1.1 Context 93     9.1.2 Ecological and environmental issues 98     9.1.3 Strategies, techniques and results 99     References 104     9.2 Los Angeles River, USA     Strategies and Techniques 106     9.2.1 Context 106     9.2.2 Ecological and environmental issues 109     9.2.3 Strategies and techniques 111     References 115     9.3 Madrid Rio, Spain     Strategies and Techniques 117     9.3.1 Context 117     9.3.2 Ecological and environmental issues 120     9.3.3 Strategies, techniques, and results 121     References 126     9.4 Paillon River, France     Strategies and Techniques 127     9.4.1 Context 127     9.4.2 Ecological and environmental issues 129     9.4.3 Strategies, techniques, and results 133     References 137     9.5 River Thames, England     Strategies and Technique 138     9.5.1 Context 138     9.5.2 Ecological and environmental issues 141     9.5.3 Strategies and techniques 145     References 149     9.6 Emscher River, Germany     Strategies and Techniques 151     9.6.1 Context 151     9.6.2 Ecological and environmental issues 154     9.6.3 Strategies, techniques, and results 155     References 158     PART C OPPORTUNITIES AND POLICIES 161     10 Green and Blue Infrastructure Top  ]Down Policies 163     10.1 European environmental and water policy 163     10.2 American environmental and water policy 168     References 173     11 Bottom  ]Up Initiatives for Green and Blue Infrastructure 177     11.1 Bottom  ]up and top  ]down approaches 177     11.2 Bottom  ]up initiatives in the United States 178     11.3 Bottom  ]up initiatives in the European Union 185     References 187     12 Selection of Management Practices and Guidelines 190     12.1 Sustainable urban development 190     12.2 Best Management Practices (BMPs) 191     12.3 Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) strategies 193     12.4 Low Impact Development (LID) 195     12.5 Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) 198     References 200     13.1 The Bronx River, USA     Opportunities and Policies 203     13.1.1 Project development 203     13.1.2 The greenway 208     13.1.3 Policies and local community 210     References 212     13.2 Los Angeles River, USA     Opportunities and Policies 214     13.2.1 River revitalization plans 214     13.2.2 Costs and benefits 220     13.2.3 Community involvement 224     References 225     13.3 Madrid Rio, Spain     Opportunities and Policies 227     13.3.1 Project development 227     13.3.2 Project costs and benefits 231     References 233     13.4 Paillon River, France     Opportunities and Policies 235     13.4.1 Framework of French water policies 235     13.4.2 Local policies and projects 236     References 242     13.5 River Thames, England     Opportunities and Policies 244     13.5.1 Water policy framework and planning strategies 244     13.5.2 Local policies and projects 247     13.5.3 Project costs and benefits 250     References 254     13.6 Emscher River, Germany     Opportunities and Policies 256     13.6.1 Project development 256     13.6.2 Policies and participation 262     13.6.3 Project costs and benefits 263     References 264     Index 266