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Water Sensitive Urban Design
Water-sensitive urban design (WSUD) is a land planning and engineering design approach which integrates the urban water cycle, including stormwater, groundwater, and wastewater management and water supply, into urban design to minimise environmental degradation and improve aesthetic and recreational appeal.BMT WBM 2009, "Evaluating options for water sensitive urban design – a national guide: Prepared by the Joint Steering Committee for Water Sensitive Cities: In delivering Clause 92(ii) of the National Water Initiative", Joint Steering Committee for Water Sensitive Cities (JSCWSC), Canberra, viewed 18 September 2011. WSUD is a term used in the Middle East and Australia and is similar to low-impact development (Canada/US), low-impact development (LID), a term used in the United States; and Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS), a term used in the United Kingdom. Background Traditional urban and industrial development alters landscapes from permeable vegetated surfaces to a series ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Comparing The Natural And Urban Water Cycle And Streetscapes In Conventional And Blue-Green Cities
Comparison or comparing is the act of evaluating two or more things by determining the relevant, comparable characteristics of each thing, and then determining which characteristics of each are similar to the other, which are different, and to what degree. Where characteristics are different, the differences may then be evaluated to determine which thing is best suited for a particular purpose. The description of similarities and differences found between the two things is also called a comparison. Comparison can take many distinct forms, varying by field: To compare things, they must have characteristics that are similar enough in relevant ways to merit comparison. If two things are too different to compare in a useful way, an attempt to compare them is colloquially referred to in English as "comparing apples and oranges." Comparison is widely used in society, in science and in the arts. General usage Comparison is a natural activity, which even animals engage in when deci ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ecological Footprint
The ecological footprint is a method promoted by the Global Footprint Network to measure human demand on natural capital, i.e. the quantity of nature it takes to support people or an economy. It tracks this demand through an ecological accounting system. The accounts contrast the biologically productive area people use for their consumption to the biologically productive area available within a region or the world (biocapacity, the productive area that can regenerate what people demand from nature). In short, it is a measure of human impact on the environment. Footprint and biocapacity can be compared at the individual, regional, national or global scale. Both footprint and biocapacity change every year with number of people, per person consumption, efficiency of production, and productivity of ecosystems. At a global scale, footprint assessments show how big humanity's demand is compared to what Earth can renew. Global Footprint Network estimates that, as of 2014, humanity has ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Geotextile
Geotextiles are permeable fabrics which, when used in association with soil, have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain. Typically made from polypropylene or polyester, geotextile fabrics come in two basic forms: woven (resembling mail bag sacking) and nonwoven (resembling felt). Geotextile composites have been introduced and products such as geogrids and meshes have been developed. Geotextiles are durable and are able to soften a fall. Overall, these materials are referred to as geosynthetics and each configuration—geonets, geosynthetic clay liners, geogrids, geotextile tubes, and others—can yield benefits in geotechnical and environmental engineering design. History Geotextiles were originally intended to be a substitute for granular soil filters. The original, and still sometimes used, term for geotextiles is ''filter fabrics''. Work originally began in the 1950s with R.J. Barrett using geotextiles behind precast concrete seawalls, under precast c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Porous Paving
Permeable paving surfaces are made of either a porous material that enables stormwater to flow through it or nonporous blocks spaced so that water can flow between the gaps. Permeable paving can also include a variety of surfacing techniques for roads, parking lots, and pedestrian walkways. Permeable pavement surfaces may be composed of; pervious concrete, porous asphalt, paving stones, or interlocking pavers. Unlike traditional impervious paving materials such as concrete and asphalt, permeable paving systems allow stormwater to percolate and infiltrate through the pavement and into the aggregate layers and/or soil below. In addition to reducing surface runoff, permeable paving systems can trap suspended solids, thereby filtering pollutants from stormwater. Permeable pavement is commonly used on roads, paths and parking lots subject to light vehicular traffic, such as cycle-paths, service or emergency access lanes, road and airport shoulders, and residential sidewalks an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weir
A weir or low head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the river level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. There are many weir designs, but commonly water flows freely over the top of the weir crest before cascading down to a lower level. Etymology There is no single definition as to what constitutes a weir and one English dictionary simply defines a weir as a small dam, likely originating from Middle English ''were'', Old English ''wer'', derivative of root of ''werian,'' meaning "to defend, dam". Function Commonly, weirs are used to prevent flooding, measure water discharge, and help render rivers more navigable by boat. In some locations, the terms dam and weir are synonymous, but normally there is a clear distinction made between the structures. Usually, a dam is designed specifically to impound water behind ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sand Filter
Sand filters are used as a step in the water treatment process of water purification. There are three main types; rapid (gravity) sand filters, upward flow sand filters and slow sand filters. All three methods are used extensively in the water industry throughout the world. The first two require the use of flocculant chemicals to work effectively while slow sand filters can produce very high quality water with pathogens removal from 90% to >99% (depending on the strains), taste and odour without the need for chemical aids. Sand filters can, apart from being used in water treatment plants, be used for water purification in singular households as they use materials which are available for most people. History The history of separation techniques reaches far back, as filter materials were already in use during ancient periods. Rushes and genista plants were used to fill sieving vessels that separated solid and liquid materials. The Egyptians also used porous clay vessels to filte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Infiltration Trench
A percolation trench, also called an infiltration trench, is a type of best management practice (BMP) that is used to manage stormwater runoff, prevent flooding and downstream erosion, and improve water quality in an adjacent river, stream, lake or bay. It is a shallow excavated trench filled with gravel or crushed stone that is designed to infiltrate stormwater though permeable soils into the groundwater aquifer. A percolation trench is similar to a dry well, which is typically an excavated hole filled with gravel. Another similar drainage structure is a French drain, which directs water away from a building foundation, but is usually not designed to protect water quality. Application and design Percolation trenches are often used to treat runoff from impervious surfaces, such as sidewalks and parking lots, on sites where there is limited space available for managing stormwater. They are effective at treating stormwater only if the soil has sufficient porosity. To funct ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trash Rack
A trash rack (US) or debris screen is a wooden or metal structure, frequently supported by masonry, that prevents water-borne debris (such as logs, boats, animals, masses of cut waterweed, etc.) from entering the intake of a water mill, pumping station or water conveyance. This protects water wheels, penstocks, and sluice gates from destruction during floods. They are sometimes fitted to storm drain inflows and outflows to prevent debris from entering a natural watercourse. Other names used as trash screen (US) or debris grille. Trash racks composed of vertical wooden strakes separated by narrow gaps are very common and perform extremely poorly. Metal gratings are sturdier and can have narrower strakes, and angling the trash rack properly can allow some self-cleaning from the action of the water. Modern trash racks as used by hydroelectric plants can incorporate such advanced features as wedge-wire screens, the Coanda effect, and cleaning robots. In waterways with large amounts ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Raingarden
Rain gardens, also called bioretention facilities, are one of a variety of practices designed to increase rain runoff reabsorption by the soil. They can also be used to treat polluted stormwater runoff. Rain gardens are designed landscape sites that reduce the flow rate, total quantity, and pollutant load of runoff from impervious urban areas like roofs, driveways, walkways, parking lots, and compacted lawn areas. Rain gardens rely on plants and natural or engineered soil medium to retain stormwater and increase the lag time of infiltration, while remediating and filtering pollutants carried by urban runoff. Rain gardens provide a method to reuse and optimize any rain that falls, reducing or avoiding the need for additional irrigation. A benefit of planting rain gardens is the consequential decrease in ambient air and water temperature, a mitigation that is especially effective in urban areas containing an abundance of impervious surfaces that absorb heat in a phenomenon known ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bioretention Basins
Bioretention is the process in which contaminants and sedimentation are removed from stormwater runoff. The main objective of the bioretention cell is to attenuate peak runoff as well as to remove stormwater runoff pollutants. Construction of a bioretention area Stormwater is firstly directed into the designed treatment area, which conventionally consists of a sand bed (which serves as a transition to the actual soil), a filter media layer (which consists of layered materials of various composition), and plants atop the filter media. Various soil amendment such as water treatment residue (WTR), Coconut husk, biochar etc have been proposed over the years. These materials were reported to have enhanced performance in terms of pollutant removal. Runoff passes first over or through a sand bed, which slows the runoff's velocity, distributes it evenly along the length of the ponding area, which consists of a surface organic layer and/or groundcover and the underlying planting soil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Swales And Buffer Strips , a U.S. aerospace and defense company from 1978 to 2007, founded by Tom Swales
{{Disambiguation, geo ...
Swale or Swales may refer to: Topography * Swale (landform), a low tract of land ** Bioswale, landform designed to remove silt and pollution ** Swales, found in the formation of Hummocky cross-stratification Geography * River Swale, in North Yorkshire, England * The Swale, a channel separating mainland Kent from the Isle of Sheppey, England ** Borough of Swale, a local government district in Kent, England *** Swale railway station Other uses * Swale (horse), an American Thoroughbred racehorse * Swales (surname), a surname * Swales Aerospace Swales Aerospace was an employee-owned, small business aerospace engineering firm. The company offered a full range of aerospace engineering services. It was the global leader in the development and manufacture of two-phase thermal solutions for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
