Articulation between open space systems and nature-based solutions for urban drainage: case study of the Jacu stream basin, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

The occupation of the Jacu Stream Basin, located in the eastern region of the city of São Paulo, has resulted in a reduction in ecosystem services (ES) across much of the territory, creating environmental fragility in an urbanized area prone to flooding. Open space systems, composed of non-built spaces within the urban fabric, can contribute to mitigating these problems through the implementation of nature-based solutions (NBS). The adoption of NBS, which consist of interventions designed to mimic natural processes, would complement existing infrastructure. This article examines the feasibility of implementing a green infrastructure network, composed of urban forests, in public and private open spaces. The text presents three demarcated areas within the basin and the NBS proposed for each, as well as the ES that would be restored. The proposals include revegetation of the Jacu Stream floodplain, the implementation of a constructed wetland system in the Limoeiro Stream, and the creation of a network of bioswales along roads that would undergo modifications in their traffic configuration. This project would be combined with the implementation of other nature-based solutions, such as revegetation of undeveloped areas, aligned with existing gray infrastructure, thereby increasing the efficiency of the overall system and contributing to stormwater drainage throughout the basin.