Stockholm International Water Week 2016

06/09/2016

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Social-ecological deltas and green infrastructure: lessons from the Dutch and Paraná deltasPresenters:

Martijn van Staveren (Wageningen University, Netherlands; [email protected])

Johanna Hedlund (Tengbom Architects; Sweden. [email protected])

Contributors:

Pieter van Eijk (Wetlands Internationall)

Anna Forslund (Stockholm International Water Institute)

Typical delta challenges

Flood management

Urbanization

Various interests

Climate change

Institutional complexity

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Closing-off hydraulic infrastructure

Ecosystem-based delta perspectives

TRADITIONAL DELTA PERSPECTIVES ECOSYSTEM-BASED DELTA

PERSPECTIVES

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Example from the Dutch delta

From impoldering (closed)... ...to de-poldering (open)

Example from the Paraná delta

From open... … to closed system

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Constructed floating wetland(flood protection, water treatment, restoration of water regulatory functions, ecosystem restoration, production)

Groines (restoration of sedimentation processes)

Wetland edge zone (flood protection, shore protection, ecosystem restoration, naturalenhancement)

Green infrastructure concepts

TRADITIONAL DELTA

PERSPECTIVE

ECOSYSTEM-BASED DELTA

PERSPECTIVE

Ecosystem-based delta perspective:Adding green infrastructure to the technological

domain

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Conclusions

The often technical, ‘closing-off’ paradigm of water control in deltas should be complemented by an 'open' approach, in which the mutual influence of the technological, ecological and social domains is acknowledged and anticipated on to pursue sustainable delta futures;

The role of water as a carrier of long term delta dynamics and potential means to achieve sustainable delta futures should be reemphasized;

Many landscape design options are available to translate this line of thinking into practice. Presented green infrastructure examples from the Dutch and Paraná deltas contribute to an open delta system design.