**Cascade Drainage Systems: Managing Urban Runoff and Enhancing Resilience in Watersheds with Moderate to High Topographic Variations and Slopes...
Published on by Hossein Ataei Far, Deputy Manager of the Research, Technology Development, and Industry Relations Center at NWWEC
Stepped drainage systems, another name for cascading drainage systems, are made to effectively control urban runoff, especially during periods of high precipitation. These systems reduce the risk of erosion and flooding by directing water in phases. Additionally, they can be used with green infrastructure solutions and improve urban resilience.
### **Key Benefits**
1. **Water Management:** Efficiently channels water, preventing waterlogging and structural damage.
2. **Urban Resilience:** Reduces pavement deterioration and mitigates flooding risks.
3. **Sloped Terrain Suitability:** Ideal for hilly urban roads, leveraging gravity for effective flow management.
4. **Green Integration:** Supports groundwater recharge when combined with permeable surfaces.
### **Key Constraints**
1. **Space constraints:** requires adequate room, which may be challenging in dense urban environments.
2. **Maintenance Needs:** Regular cleaning is necessary to prevent clogging and ensure functionality.
### **Concrete Types for High-Energy Cascading Drainage**
1. **High-Performance Concrete (HPC):** Durable, abrasion-resistant, and suitable for high-energy flows.
2. **Fibre-Reinforced Concrete (FRC):** Absorbs impact, resists abrasion, and handles debris damage.
3. **High-Density Concrete:** Withstands extreme energy and abrasion in high-flow areas.
### **Best Practices and Design Considerations**
1. **Hydrological Planning:** Design systems based on rainfall intensity and runoff data.
2. **Integration:** Combine with sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) and green infrastructure.
3. **Maintenance:** Regular debris removal and cleaning to maintain efficiency.
4. **Climate adaptation:** Ensure the design accommodates changing rainfall patterns.
5. **Material Selection:** prioritize abrasion-resistant, thermally stable, and reinforced concrete.
### **References**
1. **Mays, L. W. (2010).** *Water Resources Engineering*. Wiley.
2. **Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):** Resources on green infrastructure and sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS).
3. **United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).** (2018). "Urban Flood Risk Management Handbook."
4. ACI 207.1R-05: Guide to Mass Concrete by the American Concrete Institute.
5. US Bureau of Reclamation (2022): Materials and methods for spillways and energy dissipation systems.
6. ACI 544.1R-96: Report on Fiber-Reinforced Concrete
7. CIRIA (2015): Hydraulic Design of Stepped Spillways and Cascades
8. Neville, A. M. (2011): Properties of Concrete—A comprehensive resource on concrete properties and applications in hydraulic engineering.
The video shows that, on the Bakri Highway, a 7-kilometre-long Vesk Canal has been constructed to channel runoff from sedimentation ponds (the starting point) to the downstream canal (Mianrood) through a cascade channel.
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