Lydia Mahan
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Grantham Scholar
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Measuring the environmental benefits and social impact of large scale Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)
The project
Urban areas are increasingly facing hydrological challenges driven by climate change, rapid urbanisation, and population growth. Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) offer a nature-based solution by managing rainfall at its source, reducing flood risk, enhancing water quality, and delivering broader environmental and social benefits. Despite growing recognition of these wider benefits, current evaluation methods often fall short in capturing their full scope.
The project aims to assess the environmental and social impacts of large-scale SuDS through a comprehensive review of existing prediction and measurement techniques. It will identify current gaps and develop improved methodologies to enable more effective evaluation of SuDS interventions.
Mansfield, the second largest town in Nottinghamshire, located in the East Midlands, will serve as a "living lab" for real-world testing. Situated in the River Maun valley and surrounded by permeable soils, Mansfield presents an ideal setting for SuDS research. The town is currently home to the Mansfield Sustainable Flood Resilience Scheme, the largest SuDS retrofitting project in the UK, featuring 359 interventions with a total storage capacity of 30,350 m³.
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