In-Focus Forum

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The State Government of Sarawak is prioritizing urban transformation in several cities to improve living conditions for their residents, reduce significant flood risk, formalize future growth, risk, and unlock the area’s potential for eco-tourism, education, and recreation – all while preserving its biodiversity, natural resources and building resilience.

Ramboll has been engaged by the Land Custody and Development Authority to develop robust masterplans in the cities of Sibu and Kuching. The masterplans are developed with water, climate, and local people at the center and as the main guiding principles. These principles were derived following engagement and close liaison with key stakeholders.  Locality level masterplans, which will include Urban zonings, land use, a catalogue of blue-green water management solutions and technical designs for critical infrastructure are being developed.

Learning points:

Participants will be able to gain knowledge on Sarawak’s overall plan for city resilience planning and their ambition to reduce and manage flood risks by unlocking future growth potential. Importance of stakeholder engagement and participation during the development and endorsement of these masterplans will also be highlighted.

The City of Melbourne aims to retrofit Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) features into streetscapes to enhance tree canopy, treat stormwater and reduce flooding. With growing inquiries from the organisation’s design teams about WSUD suitability, the City of Melbourne and Arup developed a digital prioritisation tool to quickly assess site feasibility and the benefits WSUD could offer the city.

The spatial tool uses a three-layered methodology, evaluating each location’s suitability, relative priority and the recommended WSUD typology. It aggregates data and integrates with the City of Melbourne’s geographical information system (GIS) interface, so employees can easily access the data and assess where WSUD will have the most benefit and the lowest cost. Some of the types of WSUD features the map recommends include rain gardens, passively irrigated trees and permeable pavements. 

Learning points:

• The potential for Water Sensitive Urban Design and blue-green infrastructure options to deliver multiple benefits including flood mitigation, stormwater treatment, greening and cooling.
• The importance of a rapid ‘first pass’ assessment of viability and benefit to drive opportunities.
• Collaborative integration of spatial tools to support decision making and prioritization of investment at a city scale.

Case Study: Philippines - Metro Manila Flood Management

Focus on the need for an adaptive flood master plan in Metro Manila, combining structural solutions like dams with non-structural measures like watershed conservation. These efforts address the immense flood management challenges in Metro Manila, a megacity of 13 million people, worsened by 2.5 million informal settlers in flood-prone zones. On average, 20 typhoons strike annually, with 5 to 7 being destructive, like Typhoon Carina in 2024, which caused PHP 1.17 billion in agricultural losses. The Metro Manila Flood Management Project Phase-1 aims to modernize 36 pumping stations, build 4 new ones, and improve solid waste management to address drainage blockages. Resettlement of 600 informal settler families is ongoing, with accessibility and livelihood issues persisting.

Learning points:

• Adaptive flood management in megacities benefits from combining structural measures (e.g., dams and pumping stations) with non-structural approaches (e.g., watershed conservation, solid waste reduction) to tackle frequent and severe natural disasters like typhoons.

• Addressing informal settlements through resettlement, alongside infrastructure improvements, is critical but must prioritize accessibility and livelihoods to mitigate social and economic disruptions.

Case study: Thailand - Chao Phraya Flood Management Program

The World Bank is supporting Thailand in preparation of the first phase (“Plan 1”) of the multi-pronged, 9-phase Chao Phraya flood management program. The program, (with a total cost of more than US$ 10 billion) aims at decreasing flood risk and enhancing climate resilience in the Chao Phraya basin, which accounts for 40% of Thailand’s population and two-thirds of its GDP. The Plan 1 investments will increase the flood routing capacity through upgrading and modifications of the existing irrigation canal system in the lower-east part of the basin. The design of the program presents complex challenges linked to the management of fluvial flooding, urban drainage and land use, inter-agency coordination, and presence of informal settlements along the canals.

Learning points:

• Comprehensive flood management requires integrating large-scale infrastructure upgrades, such as enhancing canal systems, with strategic planning to address complex challenges like urban drainage, land use, and inter-agency coordination.

• Effective climate resilience programs must balance technical solutions with social considerations, such as managing informal settlements, to ensure sustainable flood risk reduction in economically vital regions.

Greater Manchester is connected by water but how it is managed is highly fragmented and issues frequently arise when there is too much water (flooding), too little (droughts) or it is too dirty (polluted waterways). As a result, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), supported by Jacobs, developed a silo-breaking partnership and The Greater Manchester Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP), which is an industry-defining, integrated framework that will deliver more value, wider benefits and more sustainable outcomes.

The IWMP creates a new framework for collaboratively addressing the major challenges impacting the water environment, moving away from a siloed business-as-usual, multi-organizational delivery to a more integrated and ambitious partnership approach. With appropriate engagement and funding, that delivers more value, wider benefits and more sustainable outcomes in the longer term.

Through mapping and analysis, key areas with intersecting water and community needs were identified to be considered for co-planning, design, funding and delivery. Plan formulation followed a co-design process which truly empowered the partner agencies and the wide range of stakeholders to drive the plan priorities and outcomes with a ‘Place-based’ focus. A series of workshops and co-location provided a venue for open and honest discussion of priorities, opportunities and challenges. The ultimate benefits go beyond flood protection and water quality — they include social value, biodiversity net gains and improvements to ecosystem services.

An Integrated Investment Plan identifies ways to leverage additional funding, creating a Value-Add Framework that quantifies and qualifies the additional value unlocked by working in partnership. The final Plan sets out an industry-defining, integrated delivery framework that will deliver more value, wider benefits and more sustainable outcomes through a whole-system transformation of structures, tools, culture, power dynamics and policies enabled by active collaboration and shared goals.

Learning points:

• Integrated Catchment Management as a framework to deliver city scale environmental (including flood) improvements.
• Collaborative partnership working to address complex, interconnected water challenges.
• Trust and leadership are fundamental ingredients to successful collaborative partnerships, transforming structures, mindsets and policies for the better.
• Cross-sector working, bringing together all City functions to use the lens of Water to drive integrated working and improved community outcomes.
• Place-based planning facilitates multi-stakeholder collaboration to address flooding and water quality issues in a holistic manner.
• Water needs and issues can be a connector to drive wider environmental and social improvements for cities.

In October 2024, Valencia experienced catastrophic flooding due to torrential rains, with some areas receiving over 600 millimetres of rain in in just 8 hours. The floods resulted in significant damage to infrastructure and claimed the lives of approximately 232 people, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in Spanish history.

Global Omnium's response to this catastrophe showcased the power of digital innovation. Leveraging a digital twin of the drinking water network, they efficiently reestablished service, ensuring minimal disruption. Advanced leak detection using flow and meter analytics, along with blockage prevention in the sanitary network, played crucial roles in maintaining system integrity. The installation of sensors provided real-time data, enabling swift and informed decision-making. Overall, the application of digital tools and knowledge allowed for an effective and efficient response to the flood, highlighting the importance of technology in enhancing urban resilience.

Learning points:

• Importance of Digital Tools: The case study highlights how digital tools, such as digital twins and sensor networks, can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of flood response operations.
• Real-Time Data Utilization: Attendees will learn about the critical role of real-time data in making informed decisions during a crisis, ensuring timely and accurate responses.
• Enhanced Urban Resilience: The overall approach taken by Global Omnium underscores the importance of integrating advanced technologies to bolster urban resilience against natural disasters.
• The audience will also gain insights into how the absence of appropriate digital tools at the catchment level hindered a more rapid and effective response to the flooding. 

The Drainage Services Department (DSD) and Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have been implementing solutions to build greater resilience to extreme weather events. Two project cases will be presented:

The Yuen Long Barrage is a comprehensive flood protection project featuring an automatic flood barrier, a stormwater pumping station with a capacity of 300 cubic meters per second, and a master control center. Built within the Yuen Long Nullah, this system not only mitigates flood risks in the Yuen Long town area but also incorporates advanced electrical and mechanical facilities to enhance efficiency. Additionally, the 2-kilometer section of the Yuen Long Nullah between Shap Pat Heung Road and the proposed barrage is being revitalized to improve its ecological and community value.

Tung Chung New Town Extension (East) reclamation has established Hong Kong’s first and longest eco-shoreline of about 3.8km, fostering marine biodiversity, and nurturing the habitat for about 100 species. The original natural shoreline at the site was degraded as a result of previous development about 30 years ago. The project not only has reclaimed 130 hectares of land for development but also has taken the opportunity to restore the ecological value and enhance biodiversity of the artificial shoreline. 

Learning points:

Yuen Long Barrage: This innovative project, developed by the Drainage Services Department (DSD), integrates stormwater pumps and flood barriers into a unified design to address flooding challenges. Key features include a 60-meter-long flood barrier downstream of the Yuen Long Nullah near Shan Pui River, which helps reduce flooding risks while promoting ecological connectivity between the nullah and the river. The initiative exemplifies the use of modern engineering to balance urban flood control with environmental sustainability.

Tung Chung New Town Extension (East) reclamation: CEDD has demonstrated successfully the establishment of an eco-shoreline to mimic the local natural habitat for supporting diverse and resilient marine bio-communities. The Tung Chung New Town Extension (East) reclamation project pioneered the revitalization of existing artificial shoreline and brought about eco-logical value as well as biodiversity to the community. In response to uncertainties of climate change, the shoreline design together with the abutting open space promenade also serves as an important infrastructure for coastal resilience. The progressive adaptive approach can be readily considered and adopted to meet future challenges.