Fifty-Fifty

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Seasonal Stabilisation of Water Balance

"Seasonal Stabilisation of Water Balance" tries to reduce the effect of droughts by increasing groundwater stocks by means of higher infiltration rates.




Stabilisation of water balance for urban areas. (Source: Dresden)


Internet links:


  • www.stadtentwaesserung-dresden.de (u.a. Broschüre zur Regenwasserbewirtschaftung der Stadtentwässerung Dresden; in german only)
  • www.daywater.org (decision support system for the integration of stormwater source control into sustainable urban water management strategies; EU-project "DayWater")
  • www.wupperverband.de (Anwendungsbeispiel des decision support systems aus "DayWater" im Wupperverband; in german only)

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    Short description of measure

    Problem to be solved: Drought

    Goal, potential objective: Secure sufficient water supply especially in dry periods

    Developmental steps: Detecting areas with high infiltration values; seasonal water storage by infiltration into the groundwater by modification of big retention systems towards higher infiltration values and by decentral infiltration systems

    Instruments, implementation mechanism: Providing uniform fundamental dimension values for infiltration; monitoring of groundwater, deceleration of the run-off of precipitation; promotion of decentral infiltration systems by raising the tax for drain precipitation into the sewage canal

    Area of implementation: Local, urban

    Responsibilities: Local environmental office, sewage agency

    Time horizon: Short to long term

    Economic aspects: Avoidance of expensive artificial irrigation; securing water resources, reduction of health costs caused by overheating

    Promoters, obstacles, risks: Resistance of building owners; mobilisation of contaminated soils; apprehension of exposure to buildings

    Side effects: Improvement of local bio-climate

    Bridge to mitigation: Increase in biomass in dry periods and thus in CO2 sinks