Formulating a rainwater and stormwater management model

Abstract

Despite the numerous theories concerning stormwater management, a classificatory system that offers clear classification of all its components has yet to be introduced. What appears to be a general neglect of the relationship between rainwater and stormwater with the hydrology cycle have undermined the ability of stormwater management to manage problems such as flood, water pollution and ecosystem degradation. To remedy this problem, this research aims to reconstitute the components of stormwater management. To this end, two objectives are formulated, namely (i) to identify and explore the components of stormwater management, and (ii) to determine the relationship between the identified components of stormwater management and the hydrology cycle. The research is approaches qualitatively through the use of online journals, forum discussions, and e-mail interviews as methods of data collection. The collected data was then subjected to six steps of comparative analyses. The research found that the terminology of stormwater management needed to be changed to Rainwater and Stormwater Management (RSM) as it is more holistic. Subsequently, an RSM model was proposed consisting of a sequence process of three components; (i) hydrology cycle and its biophysical elements, (ii) concepts, and (iii) strategies. The first component consists of seven hydrology cycles (interception, infiltration, surface runoff, depression storage, evapotranspiration, groundwater flow and interplay), which function through vegetation, soil, topography and water bodies. The second and third components comprise of 12 concepts and 20 strategies; listed in priority order based on their relationship with the hydrology cycle. The revised aim of the proposed RSM model is to conserve and restore the health of the watershed by replicating more hydrological cycles in the concepts and strategies. The revised objectives of the RSM are (i) to improve rainwater management to optimize the hydrology cycles and to reduce stormwater, (ii) to improve stormwater management by reducing the quantity and improve the quality of stormwater, and (iii) to optimize the multifunctional of hydrology cycles in RSM strategies.