Understanding Urban Surfaces: Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for Stormwater Management

Urban areas often encounter significant challenges in stormwater management due to the prevalence of impermeable surfaces, such as asphalt, concrete, and buildings, which hinder natural water cycle. Existing stormwater management solutions are frequently neither viable nor adaptable for communities. These approaches are often costly, time-intensive, and fail to account for climate change adaptability, as well as community consultation and participation. The primary objective of this study is to analyze urban land use and land cover (LULC) to develop a tool that helps communities and stakeholders identify nature-based solutions for stormwater management, customized to their specific and localized context. A thematic analysis was conducted on the Urban LULCs of two urban areas in Puerto Rico—Bayamón and Ponce—to develop a comprehensive taxonomy of urban LULC. This analysis provided a deeper understanding of the urban surfaces in Puerto Rico, identifying 15 distinct types of urban LULC through a visual characterization conducted at a 1:1000 scale using Landsat 8 images. Through a literature review, 22 specific nature-based solutions were identified, and categorized based on water/surface relationship (shallow infiltration, storage, runoff management, and deep infiltration). This tool is designed to transform urban spaces by prioritizing surfaces that effectively manage water, mitigate flooding risks, and improve water quality, thereby enhancing the sustainability of urban environments from an individual/community scale. It introduces an array of alternatives to traditional urban water management, expanding the possibilities for more sustainable and context-sensitive approaches. By linking surface taxonomy to water management, the study provides a valuable resource for strengthening urban resilience against climate variability and extreme weather events by gaining a deeper understanding of water behavior in our communities.