Zhenjiang Sponge City Infrastructure Planning

Through its Sponge City program, China has established aggressive treatment targets for flood reduction, water conservation, and improved water quality. 70 percent of rain water must be managed by infiltration, water detention, water storage, water purification, water drainage and water reuse. Significant flooding from the 30-year event must also be eliminated.

Herrera led a comprehensive Sponge City planning effort for a 22-square-kilometer area in the city of Zhenjiang (Jiangsu Province). We used extensive GIS spatial analysis, a proprietary water quality model, and a SWMM model to develop recommendations for green infrastructure, low impact development, and “gray” systems such as vaults and conveyance capacity upgrades to allow Zhenjiang to meet the Sponge City goals. The City is heavily urbanized, has poor soils and high groundwater.