Last updated: October 2021
The development of the sustainable district of the Haute Deûle River Banks, associated to Euratechnologies TIC center, leans on recognition of water as an element of its foundation. The current innovation is about the water garden. It is a part of the bigger project, building an eco-district on the banks of the Haute Deule river. The water garden, which plays the role of storage (stormwater) and of phytoremediator, evolves with the rhythm of rain and becomes the emblematic place for this work with water. Its vegetation improves every year and the natural seeds of young willow trees contribute to the establishment of a dynamic ecosystem (Ref 1).
The Water Garden at Haute Deule River Banks
Yves Bercez for Soreli, retrieved 09/04/2018 from Anne-Sylvie Bruel
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Green areas for water management
- Rain gardens
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Improvements to water quality
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Ecological restoration of degraded ecosystems, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas
Project objectives
The goals for the project were (a) to create a sustainable water storage system (b) to mitigate floods (c) federating water in the development of the new district (d) to build a phytoremediator (e) to build a zero-pipe operation (without pipe) (f) to collect rainwater and stormwater (g) improving the urban development (Ref 2).
Implementation activities
The implementation activities included, integration of the watershed system with public spaces by swales, canals integrated alongside roads, and water gardens order. Also, building a sedimentation basin for phytoremediation and rainwater management. To mitigate the risk of floods, the city has also decided to cap soil-sealing at 80%. Some management prescriptions have been formulated regarding the treatment of external mineral surfaces with maximum permeability in joints or materials. The technical specifications have also imposed a minimum ratio of open ground of 20% (applied to the 20% permeable soil), with local variations according to the detailed requirements of the fauna-flora study. The location of buildings were decided based on the soil composition, in order to respect the balance of groundwaters as much as possible. The project affirms the strength of the Haute Deûle canal, taking up the canals and irrigation ditches old lines and taking further the principle of rainwater collecting on the whole district surfaces. The water station square offers a convivial space in the traces of the inland water shipping that forged the identity of the Bois Blanc district. The water garden, that plays the storage and phytoremideator role, evolves with rain rhythms and becomes an emblematic place for this work on water (Ref 2, 4).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Implement sustainable urban drainage infrastructure (e.g. to make space for water)
- Renaturalization of rivers and other water bodies
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore ecological connectivity
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Main leader: La Métropole Européenne de Lille (MEL), Engineering, VRD - G.Pilet, Lighting engineer - Agh, Broadband - Venna Engineering & Vantellerie - Stucky, Engineers Hydraulic advice & concrete structure (lift bridge) - Pranlas Descours, Urban planner (Ref 1)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(The EU Flood Directive: to mitigate floods (Ref 2))
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
((a) National Flood Risk Management Strategy: in response to the flood and mitigating its effects. (Ref 1,2)
(b) Natural Hazard Management Policy: in response to any natural hazard (Ref 2)
)
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Economic impacts
- Reduce financial cost for urban management
Socio-cultural impacts
- Safety
- Increased perception of safety
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Improved mental health
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Ecoquartier of the banks of the high Deule in Lille. Atelier of landscape Bruel Delmer. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 9th August, 2020.
2. Haute Deule river banks. Projects. Landezine. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 9th August, 2020.
3. The banks of the Haute Deûle, an eco-district along the waterway. Published in November 2018. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 11th August, 2020.
4. Atelier Bruel-Delmar. Haute Deûle River Banks Eco District. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 11th August, 2020.
2. Haute Deule river banks. Projects. Landezine. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 9th August, 2020.
3. The banks of the Haute Deûle, an eco-district along the waterway. Published in November 2018. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 11th August, 2020.
4. Atelier Bruel-Delmar. Haute Deûle River Banks Eco District. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 11th August, 2020.
The Water Garden at Haute Deule River Banks
Yves Bercez for Soreli, retrieved 09/04/2018 from Anne-Sylvie Bruel