Tartu Starts Building Natural Rainwater Management System
As periods of heavy and prolonged rain become more frequent in Estonia, the city of Tartu has begun constructing a natural rainwater management system to help mitigate flood risks.
In Tartu, Estonia, construction has started on a natural rainwater management system near the intersection of Tähe and Turu streets, on the site of a former port railway. During heavy or prolonged rainfall, water will temporarily accumulate in a specially designed area and then slowly drain into the stormwater sewer system.
The project, part of the CityBlues initiative, creates a nature-based solution that mimics how water behaves in the wild. Vice Mayor of Tartu Kertu Vuks explained that they are building temporary water retention zones and ditches where rainwater can briefly linger before entering the stormwater system.
Experts caution that it is too early to determine which natural solutions work best under Estonian climate conditions. Ottar Tamm, associate professor of hydroinformatics at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, emphasized that such systems must be tested in real-world conditions and monitored for several years. Researchers are studying how much water the system can absorb, how effectively it cleans the rainwater, and what maintenance it requires.
Data from an experimental rain garden has already shown that stone surfacing suits these systems best and that the areas need mowing at least twice a year. However, Tamm believes that individual projects alone cannot solve the problem. He stressed that responsibility must be shared: property owners should manage rainwater at its source, the water utility should handle street drainage and accept excess water from properties, and the city should, during the planning phase, designate pathways for water to flow during extreme rainfall.
