Stormwater New Zealand Conference 2025 Rotorua
An increasing need for community housing has driven the redevelopment of brownfield sites, many of which are susceptible to flooding due to their historical land use, degraded hydrological systems, and proximity to waterways. The redevelopment of these sites can pose complex challenges, particularly in the context of sustainable urban development. Effective solutions must address flood risks while simultaneously meeting the growing demand for functional, resilient, and environmentally conscious urban spaces. These complexities demand interdisciplinary approaches, blending engineering expertise with ecological/ geomorphological function to achieve overall balanced outcomes for the environment and the community.
This paper will discuss the integration of flood modelling, geomorphic and ecological principles in implementing nature-based solutions (NBS) for stream design in a flood-prone brownfield redevelopment. NBS offers a sustainable alternative to traditional hard- engineering approaches, working ‘with the stream’ to combine flood mitigation, climate adaptation, and urban livability. By combining an understanding of the form and function of the original hydrological pathways with the maximum probable development run-off, a holistic flood mitigation solution can be developed that allows room for the stream to function as a stream.
