Use of Retention Basin for Flood Mitigation and Urban Requalification in Mesquita, Brazil

Abstract

Unplanned urbanization is one of the main factors responsible for worsening flood-related problems in cities, increasing the frequency and flooding depths and degrading the environment. Considering this, the use of engineering techniques that reduce runoff and promote the urban requalification are efficient for the management of rainwaters. This paper presents a case study of flood control project using a storm water retention pond, designed to allow multiple use of an urban space. The operation of the system is evaluated by a Cell Model, developed in the Computational Hydraulic Laboratory of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (LHC-COPPE/UFRJ), known as MODCEL. The results showed the best configuration of the layout of “Celso Peçanha” Retention Basin, considering the area restrictions imposed by the City of Mesquita - Brazil, optimized to damp rainfall flows resulting from rainfall with return periods up to 50 years. The solution proposed is concerned about social urban space use, revitalising degraded areas and giving it different possibilities of use.