New Approach to Sustainable Stormwater Planning - Visit WordPress

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Many opportunities lie in the unknown. The future may reveal change that coincides
with a shared vision on sustainable water management. For that, a strategy that fits Model
B shows a healthy uncertainty balance. The interactions between water system and
society are taken into account and interventions are carried out in both water system and
society. To cope with the structural uncertainty, the strategy includes learning by doing.
Over the course of time, we learn.
3.4 Diversity and dynamics
A lot of policy papers talk about diversity. We should aim for bio-diversity and diversity
in architecture and in the design of public space. Even urbanized areas offer good opportunities
for “nature”, and by increasing spatial diversity we increase the identity of a
residential or industrial area. Also source control measures and open stormwater drainage
systems show a lot of diversity when techniques are adapted to the local circumstances.
In short, diversity is important.
For ecosystems, van Leeuwen (1966) discovered that diversity and dynamics are interrelated:
the higher the dynamics – the lower the diversity. This relationship between
diversity and dynamics gives reason to question the call for dynamics in urban planning.
This relationship might be applicable to societal processes. Where dynamics increase,
diversity might decrease. A good example concerns the construction of large areas of new
housing. In a short period of time many houses are designed and built. The diversity of
these new areas is nothing compared to the diversity of an old town centre that has been
developed over hundreds of years.
When diversity and dynamics are really related to each other in the way described here,
this is an argument to include time in planning processes more explicitly. Slowing down
a process might increase diversity.
3.5 Integrated planning
Many scientists still entertain the idea that they develop new knowledge, which is then
translated into tools to be used by water managers. By using these tools, water management
will improve. For a lot of management questions, this way of thinking (which is
connected to Model A) is sufficient. However, it is inadequate for integrated management.
Integrated management requires a new kind of science (Model B).
Over the course of time, the characteristics of integrated water management problems
will change, and the tools offered by scientists have to be capable of adapting to the new
situation. The dynamics of the interaction between water system and society has to be
taken into account. For that, it is impossible for scientists to observe processes from a
distance, collect data, construct a tool and offer this tool to people in practice. To include
time in science, there has to be an intensive interaction between science and practice.
Only then will integration become effective.
Integrated water management issues are complex. In planning processes, this complexity
should not be resisted but made manageable. It is obvious that:
• Time plays an important role in planning processes.
• To obtain public and political support for a plan, it is necessary to include history,
timing and uncertainty in the planning process.
• Real integration is only possible when science and practice interact intensively. Science
from a distance is not sufficient.