The Importance of Water in Communities

𝐍𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐫𝐮’𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚-𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Nakuru County in Kenya is setting a bold precedent in urban water management with its transformative Sponge City initiative, launched under the Water as Leverage (WaL) program. This innovative approach isn’t just about flood mitigation—it’s about redefining how cities interact with water, nature, and communities. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐫𝐮’𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞? Governor Susan Kihika’s administration is leveraging nature-based solutions to combat flash floods, droughts, and groundwater loss. Key features include: • Porous “smart pavements” with IoT sensors for real-time water absorption • Rain gardens reducing floods and enabling urban farming—creating 1,200+ green jobs • Urban wetlands treating wastewater and supporting endangered Rothschild’s giraffes • Blue-green infrastructure like rooftop gardens and ponds to recharge aquifers and provide water in dry spells In partnership with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, UN-Habitat, and Vitens Evides International, Nakuru is combining cutting-edge technology and local knowledge to create tailored, resilient solutions. 𝐁𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐍𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐫𝐮’𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬 • 62% drop in flood-related displacement, protecting 300,000+ residents • $20M raised in carbon credits for wetland conservation • 7 key hotspots absorbing 500+ liters/hour/m² of stormwater • 80+ stakeholders—from slum communities to Dutch engineers—co-designed interventions at the Nature as Leverage workshop 𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 The Nature as Leverage workshop united farmers, urban planners, engineers, and local leaders to co-design strategies for seven key areas across Nakuru. Examples include: • Rain gardens in informal settlements reducing flood risks while enabling agriculture. • Sponge parks in the city center repurposing stormwater for public spaces. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐫𝐮’𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐰 As climate change accelerates, Nakuru’s sponge city model offers a replicable, data-driven blueprint for other fast-growing cities: • Carbon sinks: New wetlands and green roofs offset 15,000+ tons of CO₂ annually. • Economic resilience: Properties near sponge infrastructure see 7–15% value premiums. • Scalability: Nakuru’s 2025–2027 plan targets 45% urban zone coverage and 90% stormwater reuse. As Governor Kihika said at the 2024 launch: “Floods are not enemies; we can make friends with floods.” Nakuru isn’t just adapting—it’s pioneering a community-powered, climate-resilient future for the Global South. 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞: Could localized metrics like “gallons absorbed per capita” become the new standard for measuring urban resilience? Let’s discuss! #UrbanPlanning #SpongeCities #WaterResilience #ClimateAdaptation #NatureBasedSolutions #DataDriven #NetZero

When new neighborhoods develop, we have a chance to treat our waterways better than they’ve been in the past. Even a small ephemeral first order stream holds value for flood conveyance, open space, water quality, ecology, and giving people access to nature in their own backyard.  In this example we are constructing a naturalized riffle-pool system that is intended to mimic natural stream processes in an urbanized setting. Because the hydrology will be very unnatural as the neighborhood builds out, we can’t rely upon the native stream bed materials to remain stable. The corridor width, plan form, slope, and cross section were geomorphically informed based on hydrology, geology, and topography.  The riffle material is comprised of imported void-filled riprap. But unlike riffles found in nature, the rock in these structures is not intended to move even in a 100-yr flood because there is no naturally occurring riffle material upstream that could move in as the stream shifts around.  As the neighborhood develops there will likely be a small base flow that will form to help support healthy native riparian vegetation. Until then we have plenty of revegetation work to do to help this corridor adapt to its new normal. #land #landdevelopment #urban #urbanization #landplanning #planning #urbanplanning #greeninfrastructure #greenway #nature #naturebasedsolutions #natureinthecity #water #construction #design #AEC #aecindustry #engineering #project #publicworks #floodcontrol #floodplainmanagement #flood #storm #stormwater #APWA #ACEC #ASFPM #CASFM #ASLA #AEC #ASCE #EWRI #NASFM #APA #milehighflooddistrict #milehighcity #colorado #project #floodprotection #stream #streamrestoration #river #riverrestoration #infrastructure #infrastructureprojects #civilengineering #civilengineer #cowx

⛈️ Stormwater management might not make headlines, but it’s one of the most powerful ways civil engineers can create sustainable, resilient communities. Instead of seeing rainwater as a nuisance, we can design our sites to treat every drop as a resource. Here are some of the key tools civil engineers use: ✅ Bioretention areas & rain gardens: These landscaped basins collect runoff and filter pollutants through soil and plants, mimicking natural hydrology. ✅ Green roofs: By capturing rain where it falls, green roofs reduce peak flows, insulate buildings, and create valuable green space in dense urban areas. ✅ Permeable pavements: Unlike traditional concrete or asphalt, permeable systems allow water to soak through, recharging groundwater and reducing flooding. ✅ Bioswales & vegetated channels: These gently sloped planted conveyance systems slow, filter, and direct runoff to further treatment areas. ✅ Underground detention and infiltration systems: Hidden below parking lots or open spaces, these structures temporarily hold water and release it slowly or allow it to infiltrate. When we rethink our relationship with rain, we transform it from a problem into a solution — protecting water quality, reducing urban heat, and creating more beautiful, livable places. 💡 As civil engineers, we hold the blueprint to turn every storm into an opportunity for resilience. #Sustainability #Stormwater #GreenInfrastructure #CivilEngineering