From Jakarta to Virginia, cities are finding new ways to slow and reverse land subsidence.
Sponge cities and aquifer recharge systems help sinking cities reclaim lost ground
Photo Credit: Wikipedia Common
Be it Jakarta or Taipei, cities all over the world are slowly drowning due to the pressure of urbanisation and exploitation, and rising sea levels. Streets that were once underwater have become a feature of the daily lives of millions who walk and wade through floodwaters just to get to work or the subway. But scientists say there is new hope. Through innovative methods like “sponge cities”, groundwater recharge, and wetland-based farming, several regions are finding ways to restore balance, reduce flooding, and even help land rebound from decades of subsidence.
As per a recent report in Nature Cities, scientists have identified that much of the sinking is caused by human activity, particularly the over-pumping of groundwater. Leonard Ohenhen's crew traced out that the cities built on soft sediment in both Asia and America are at the greatest risk of subsidence. It's estimated 34 million people will be impacted, underlining just how urgent it is to act.
In China, scientists are experimenting with “sponge cities” that could sop up droughts and flooding by means of permeable pavement, rooftop gardens, and drains that divert rain to reservoirs underground, an approach that might help recharge underground aquifers.
SWIFT is in Virginia replenishing millions of gallons a day of advanced treated wastewater back into the ground rather than waiting for it to be pulled out through halftime entertainment or cooling intakes, specified Dan Holloway, a hydrologist working with the Hampton Roads Sanitation District.
The Netherlands in Europe are trying out “wet agriculture” – farming water-loving crops on peatlands – to tackle subsidence and save farms.
There's no one silver bullet, scientists say, to solving the sinking problem, but nature-based and technological solutions are turning that crisis into an opportunity, affirming that cities can still rise.
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