Developing a New Modelling Tool to Allocate Low Impact Development Practices in a Cost Optimized Method

Abstract

Nowadays there is a need to overcome the effects caused by rapid urbanisation with more innovative methods. Recently, source control approaches, known as Low Impact Development (LID), are being used by urban planners to cope with water related problems and any other environmental issues due to their cost-effectiveness and reliability. To meet the needs of decision makers, the effects of these practices should be analysed at catchment scale. To do this, allocation of LID techniques in most suitable locations is essential. In this research a new modelling tool called LID locator is added to the WetSpa-Urban software package for more accurate placement of these techniques. The maximum area that can be covered by different types of LIDs are defined by finding the potential areas prone to generate runoff in combination with suitability maps calculated based on size limitation and implementation restriction for each LID measures. Then, the new cost-optimization tool is added through new procedure. This study is testified in the Watermaelbeek catchment situated in Brussels capital region.