Nature-based Solutions for water management

Within the approach “working with nature”, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for water management collect the set of actions, items and management measures aiming at reducing water-related risks, namely flooding, water scarcity and poor water quality, as well as preserving and restoring river ecosystems and creating new wet ecosystems. The more important ecosystem services provided by Nature-based Solutions for water management are definitely regulating ecosystem services such as flood mitigation, water purification and climate resilience, but also provisioning, supporting and cultural services are delivered, examples of which are, respectively, water availability, nutrient cycle support, aesthetic and recreational services. Nature-based Solutions for water management include both NbS pertaining to the riverscape, i.e. having a functional connection to the river and located in open spaces contiguous to the river, and NbS for sustainable urban drainage, which generally are not functionally connected nor contiguous to surface water bodies. Riverscape NbS include interventions for fluvial flood mitigation, riverbank erosion control and reduction of pollutant inputs into streams. NbS for sustainable urban drainage are those natural water retention and infiltration measures aiming at reducing fluvial flooding, increasing water storage and improving water quality.