River Park Assessment: 2D Hydraulic Watercourse Modeling for Nature-based Solutions in Urban Area

Over time, fragmentation of semi-natural habitats in urban areas has become a pressing concern, disrupting ecological processes within cities. The focus on preserving open ecosystems has grown, highlighting the need to enhance resilience in urban riverside areas for effective ecosystem restoration. Comprehensive studies on river valleys, considering both hydrology and ecology, play a crucial role in urban river ecosystem development. Our article explores the potential of protective zones with urban vegetation and watercourses as Nature-based Solution within Krakow's ongoing riverine park system development. The study's cross-sections in the River Park area revealed dominant velocities ranging from 0.67 to 2.0 m s-1 for SWQ (mean annual maximum flow) and below 0.67 m s-1 for Q1% (1% annual exceedance probability flow). The hydrological analysis accurately captured the natural river bed channels' curvature, providing the basis for a two-dimensional mathematical model to visualize the hydraulic structure of protected sites. Integrating water and greenery management systems in urban areas offers significant potential for adapting to climate change, mitigating extreme weather events. Our research's novelty lies in applying 2D hydraulic modeling, demonstrating how River Parks can serve as climate change mitigation solutions in urban environments.