Authors: Darshana N V, Nithyalakshmi.B
Abstract: The fast pace of urbanization and worsening climate-driven stressors have disrupted the natural cycles of urban hydrological processes, making existing linear infrastructures increasingly susceptible to extreme pluvial flooding events. The Sponge City concept can be seen as an essential paradigm shift towards a decentralized nature-based method for urban areas to manage rainwater in terms of its absorption, storage, infiltration, and purification.In this review paper, we synthesize empirical data, policies, and hydrological models of ten key studies to examine the effectiveness of the Sponge City paradigm at various scales. This paper will analyze the development trends of LID-based structural controls, quantitative limitations for peak flows, life-cycle maintenance challenges, and multiple ecological benefits. The synthesized literature reveals that although green infrastructure produces impressive hydrological and economic benefits when dealing with conventional rainfall, its performance suffers considerably when confronted with an extreme cloudburst. Therefore, this paper sets up a robust research agenda for future urban planners, namely that a mandatory paradigm must be embraced in the form of a "green-gray hybrid infrastructure" system with institutional and technological arrangements for real-time monitoring.
