LANDSCAPE DESIGN - DGCOA

LANDSCAPE AS AN
ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFIER
AGAINST DEPLETION OF WATER RESOURCE

HEMIKA DINESH
 TABLE OF CONTENT
• UNDERSTANDING WATER CRISIS

• ROLE OF LANDSCAPE IN WATER MANAGEMENT

• KEY STRATEGIES FOR LANDSCAPE BASED-WATER CONSERVATION

• GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS FOR ADDRESSING WATER

• CASE STUDIES
 UNDERSTANDING WATER CRISIS
THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER CURRENT CHALLENGES AND
RESOURCES DEPLETION FACTORS
Life Support: Water is essential for human survival, Over-Extraction: Excessive withdrawal of water
serving as a fundamental element for drinking, leads to a depletion of water sources, causing water
cooking, and personal hygiene. scarcity.
Agricultural Necessity: Water resources are crucial Climate Change: Altered precipitation patterns,
for irrigation, enabling the growth of crops and more frequent droughts, and rising temperatures are
ensuring food production. exacerbating water scarcity issues, making water
Ecosystem Vitality: Water sustains diverse resources less predictable and reliable.
ecosystems, from aquatic life to wetlands, supporting Pollution: Contamination of water sources with
biodiversity and ecological balance. pollutants makes water unsafe for consumption and
Industrial and Economic Growth: Industries rely on harms aquatic ecosystems.
water for manufacturing processes and cooling, Population Growth: The world's increasing
contributing to economic development and job population puts greater pressure on available water
creation. resources, increasing demand.
Renewable Energy: Water is a source of renewable Lack of Infrastructure: Inadequate water
energy through hydropower, helping to meet energy
infrastructure in many regions, including proper
needs while reducing environmental impact.
sanitation and wastewater treatment facilities.
 ROLE OF LANDSCAPE IN WATER MANAGEMENT
Water Infiltration and Retention: Natural landscapes, Habitat for Aquatic Species: Riparian zones, which are
such as forests, grasslands, and wetlands, help water transitional areas between land and water, provide critical
infiltrate into the soil, reducing surface runoff and habitat for aquatic species and contribute to the health of
promoting groundwater recharge.
aquatic ecosystems.
 ROLE OF LANDSCAPE IN WATER MANAGEMENT
Flood Mitigation: Properly designed landscapes, Urban Water Management: Urban landscapes can
including floodplains and vegetated buffers, can be designed to capture and manage stormwater,
absorb excess water during heavy rainfall or reducing the burden on municipal drainage systems
snowmelt, reducing the risk of flooding
downstream. and preventing pollution from entering waterways.
Air Quality Improvement: Trees and plants in Temperature Regulation: Trees and shrubs provide
landscapes help filter and purify the air by absorbing shade, reducing urban heat island effects and
pollutants like carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and lowering temperatures in hot climates, which can
ozone, while releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. reduce energy consumption for cooling
Climate Change Adaptation: Thoughtful Water Quality Improvement: Landscapes can act
landscape design and land use planning can help as natural filters, removing pollutants and sediments
communities adapt to the impacts of climate
change, such as more intense storms and altered
from water as it flows through vegetated areas.
precipitation patterns, by incorporating sustainable Erosion Control: Vegetation and land cover in
water management practices. landscapes help stabilize soil and prevent erosion,
Biodiversity Conservation: Diverse landscapes which can transport sediment and pollutants into
support a variety of plant and animal species, many water bodies, degrading water quality.
of which are integral to aquatic ecosystems.
Protecting landscapes helps preserve biodiversity.
 KEY STRATEGIES FOR LANDSCAPE BASED-WATER CONSERVATION

Xeriscaping: Design your landscape with drought-resistant Drip Irrigation: Use drip irrigation systems that deliver water
plants, native species, and efficient irrigation methods to directly to plant roots, minimizing evaporation and runoff.
reduce water consumption.
 KEY STRATEGIES FOR LANDSCAPE BASED-WATER CONSERVATION

Rainwater Harvesting: Collect rainwater from rooftops Greywater Recycling: Treat and reuse greywater (wastewater
and other surfaces for landscape irrigation and other non- from sinks, showers, and laundry) for irrigation.
potable uses.

.
Mulching: Apply mulch to garden beds to retain soil Educational Outreach: Educate yourself and your
moisture, regulate temperature, and suppress weed growth. community about water-efficient landscaping practices to
encourage responsible water use.
 GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS FOR
ADDRESSING WATER DEPLETION
Permeable Pavements Constructed Wetlands
Permeable pavements are surfaces that allow rainwater to Constructed wetlands are artificial wetland systems designed
pass through and infiltrate the ground rather than running to mimic natural wetland functions. They treat stormwater
off. They can be made from permeable concrete, pavers, or runoff and wastewater by promoting biological and chemical
gravel. filtration.
Permeable pavements prevent surface runoff, encourage Constructed wetlands improve water quality, reduce flooding,
groundwater recharge, and reduce the risk of water
and help replenish local water resources by retaining and
depletion during dry periods.
slowly releasing treated water.
 GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS FOR
ADDRESSING WATER DEPLETION
Rain Gardens Green Roofs
Rain gardens are designed depressions planted with native Green roofs involve covering building rooftops with vegetation
vegetation that capture and absorb rainwater runoff from and soil. They provide insulation, reduce stormwater runoff,
roofs, driveways, and other impermeable surfaces. and enhance building energy efficiency.
Rain gardens filter pollutants, reduce erosion, and promote Green roofs help reduce water depletion by capturing and
groundwater recharge, helping to combat water depletion storing rainwater, which is then used by the planted
while enhancing local biodiversity.
vegetation or released gradually into stormwater systems.
 CASE STUDIES
Green Roofs in Toronto, Canada: Ladakh's Artificial Glaciers for Water Management:
Toronto has seen an increase in green roofs on In the Ladakh region of northern India, local engineer
commercial and residential buildings to combat urban Sonam Wangchuk designed and implemented a system
heat and reduce stormwater runoff. of artificial glaciers to address water scarcity in the arid
landscape.
Environmental Impact: Green roofs reduce the urban
heat island effect by providing insulation and cooling Environmental Impact: These structures capture and
through vegetation. They also capture and filter store glacial meltwater in shaded areas during the winter,
rainwater, reducing the burden on the city's stormwater allowing controlled release during the growing season.
system. This innovation has improved water availability for
agriculture and reduced the dependence on rapidly
depleting natural glaciers.
 CASE STUDIES
Urban Heat Island Mitigation in Chicago, USA: Forest Restoration in the Brazilian Amazon:
Chicago's Millennium Park is an urban park with The Juruti River Basin in the Brazilian Amazon had
extensive green spaces, trees, and reflective surfaces like experienced deforestation and land degradation due to
the "Cloud Gate" sculpture. mining activities.
Environmental Impact: The park's design has helped Environmental Impact: A landscape restoration project
reduce the urban heat island effect in downtown Chicago. implemented reforestation efforts, planting native tree
Its vegetation and reflective surfaces absorb less heat and species. This initiative has helped combat soil erosion,
provide shade, resulting in cooler temperatures improve water quality, and restore vital ecosystems in the
compared to surrounding areas. region.
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