In 2022, Singapore faced a costly year due to climate change disasters, reaching a staggering S$160 billion in losses. Floods were the most damaging events. To tackle this problem, smart building solutions in close collaboration with nature can make a huge difference. By investing smartly, we can save 160 billion dollars annually, making it a clear win. Let me tell you how!

The Bishan-Ang Mo Kio (BAMK) river was once diverted into a concrete canal meant to quickly direct rainwater to the ocean. However, its limited capacity as our city urbanized increased flood risks, especially with expensive Orchard Road district upstream this required change. To address this, various measures were introduced by the PUB’s Active Beautiful and Clean plan to slow down rainwater and retain it longer, reducing the risk of floods. I will present four measures that I learned about on my NUS GE3255 Aquatic, Riparian, and Coastal Systems field trip that I believe will help us tackle potential climate change disasters in Singapore.

1 In the upper reaches of the river, you can find gentle sloping river banks. During a storm, the river’s water level increases, and the nearby area serves as a floodplain to direct stormwater into the Marina Reservoir.

Gentle sloping river banks creating a floodplain (T.T. Simons 2023)

2 Instead of using concrete drains and canals, vegetated swales are used to steer stormwater runoff from the park and the upstream catchment into the river. These swales are designed to promote infiltration, detention, and the purification through vegetation of stormwater even before reaching the river.

Vegetated swales to slow down runoff (T.T. Simons 2023)

3 The bioretention swales, measuring a total length of 230m, clean and treat stormwater from the nearby footpath. They effectively filter out sediments and pollutants from the runoff before directing the water into the rain garden

Bioretention swales to filter water from adjacent roads and footpaths (PUB, 2018)

4 Rain gardens collect stormwater, permitting gradual percolation through layers of soil before flowing into the Kallang River. They act as filters, removing pollutants like fine suspended solids and nutrients, while also boosting the area’s biodiversity.

Rain gardens for slow infiltration and enhanced biodiversity (PUB, 2018)

BAMK Park gained a whole new identity where the power of Nature was valued and the city became better resistant to climate change – truly transforming Singapore into a “City in Nature”. We need more places like this to make our cities fun, green and help our environment. Just imagine how cool life would be if all the boring concrete rivers in Singapore turned into awesome nature spots!

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