The effect of successive low-impact development rainwater systems on peak flow reduction in residential areas of Shizhuang, China

Against a background of frequent urban flooding and the construction of new so-called “sponge cities” in China, this paper proposes a scheme for Successive Low-Impact Development Rainwater Systems (SLIDRS) in residential areas. The Shizhuang community in China is used as a case study site for a simulated SLIDRS infrastructure based on a stormwater management model (SWMM). Peak flows, peak delay times, infiltration, and water conservation were simulated and analyzed under three different scenarios: pre-development conditions, residential development with the use of a conventional sewer system, and residential development with the use of SLIDRS. The differing effects of development under the following four rainfall conditions were evaluated: 1-year, 2-year, 5-year, and 10-year return periods. Results showed that SLIDRS can decrease peak flows and total runoff volume effectively. Moreover, peak flow times were delayed compared with those resulting from the conventional technology. Therefore, SLIDRS may represent a viable strategy towards solving local urban flooding problems.