Nature-Based Water Management Solutions: Building Climate-Resilient Cities and Restoring Urban Ecosystems

Nature-based water management (NbWM) uses natural systems and processes to address water challenges in urban and rural areas. It offers a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional grey infrastructure, helping cities and regions adapt to climate impacts, enhance water quality, and improve biodiversity. Read how Singapore transformed a concrete canal into a thriving, multifunctional river system using NbWM.

Green Infrastructure for Water Resilience and Ecosystem Benefits

At its core, NbWM integrates vegetation, soils, and natural hydrological cycles into planning and infrastructure. This includes green roofs, permeable pavements, constructed wetlands, bioswales, urban forests, and restored floodplains. These systems slow down, capture, and filter stormwater, reduce urban heat, replenish aquifers, and provide co-benefits such as carbon sequestration and recreational spaces. In flood-prone areas, NbWM is crucial in reducing peak runoff, absorbing excess rainfall, and increasing groundwater recharge.

Adaptive Systems That Strengthen Natural Hydrological Cycles

A significant advantage of NbWM is its ability to build resilience into water systems by working with rather than against natural cycles. Unlike hard infrastructure, which may become obsolete or fail under climate stress, nature-based systems adapt and evolve. For instance, restoring riverbanks with native vegetation stabilizes soils, reduces erosion, provides habitats for aquatic species, and reduces downstream sediment loads.

Urban Performance, Economic Value, and Circular Water Flows

In urban areas, NbWM helps reduce combined sewer overflows and waterway pollution by capturing runoff at the source. This is especially valuable in older cities with ageing sewer systems. Cities implementing NbWM also benefit from improved aesthetics and increased property values, creating strong economic incentives for widespread adoption. Moreover, these approaches align with circular economy principles by closing water loops through reuse, infiltration, and ecosystem regeneration.

Mainstreaming NbWM Through Policy, Planning, and Capacity Building

Policy frameworks increasingly recognize the value of NbWM in achieving water security and climate resilience. Integrating these solutions into urban planning, water management strategies, and infrastructure investments requires coordinated governance, community engagement, and long-term maintenance funding. Capacity building among urban planners, engineers, and local governments is essential to scale up nature-based solutions and ensure their performance under varying conditions. NbWM is no longer a niche concept but a mainstream tool to future-proof water infrastructure while delivering wide-ranging environmental, social, and economic benefits.

Case Study: Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park — A Model of Nature-Based Water Management in the Tropics

Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park in Singapore exemplifies how nature-based water management can transform urban water infrastructure into multifunctional, ecologically vibrant public spaces. Originally a 2.7-kilometre concrete canal, the Kallang River was naturalized into a 3-kilometre meandering river integrated into the park’s landscape. This transformation resulted from a collaboration between Singapore’s National Parks Board (NParks) and the national water agency PUB under the Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) Programme.

Central to the project’s success was applying soil bioengineering techniques, which were unprecedented in Southeast Asia’s tropical climate. A 60-meter testbed was constructed to evaluate a range of methods. Seven techniques were selected, including rip-rap with cuttings, reed rolls, geotextile-wrapped soil lifts, and brush mattresses with fascines. These stabilized the riverbanks using a mix of natural materials and plants, reducing erosion while fostering biodiversity.

The river was reconfigured using a floodplain design. Under normal conditions, water flows as a narrow stream, allowing visitors to interact closely with the river. During heavy rains, the adjacent parkland temporarily serves as a conveyance channel, managing stormwater runoff and reducing downstream flood risk. The design thus accommodates extreme weather events while maximizing recreational use during dry periods.

Supporting water quality improvement, a cleansing biotope filters water from the river and adjacent ponds before it re-enters the system. This chemical-free process supports aquatic ecosystems and supplies treated water to features like the water playground. The result is a thriving natural habitat that has led to a recorded increase in bird, butterfly, dragonfly, and wildflower species within the park.

The Take-Out

NbWM offers a scalable, sustainable solution to climate and water challenges by aligning infrastructure with natural systems for long-term resilience.

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