Opinion: Cities Need Green Infrastructure to Weather Future Storms

How ‘sponge cities’ can protect residents and conserve water.

2 minute read

May 15, 2024, 11:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Green Stormwater Infrastructure

Center for Watershed Protection, Inc via NYS Stormwater / Flickr

In an opinion piece in Next City, Franco Montalto touts the benefits of the ‘sponge city’ approach to flood mitigation that more and more cities are undertaking to protect their residents and infrastructure from catastrophic floods.

According to Montalto, “If this concept is to evolve into the new standard for urban design, city officials and developers will need to find ways to scale up and accelerate this work.”

Montalto explains that most U.S. stormwater management systems are not designed to handle all of the runoff created during a large storm. Now, cities are shifting to ‘green infrastructure’ to manage stormwater and direct it back into the ground rather than shuttling it out to rivers or oceans. This comes with its own challenges. “In the best cases, green infrastructure has been installed on publicly owned land and required on new or redesigned large-scale developments. It has proved much more challenging to incorporate green infrastructure on smaller, privately owned land parcels, which collectively make up a significant percentage of urban watershed areas.” In some areas, stormwater management is not even required as part of new development.

Montalto outlines some strategies cities can use to prevent flooding that include permeable asphalt, green roofs, rain gardens, and parks and green spaces designed to flood safely. Montalto also suggests ways to fund these efforts, pointing to collaborations between cities and nonprofit organizations as one option. “Cities could also offer incentives for retrofitting and scaling up existing stormwater management systems on private land. A trading system could be set up to sell the residual capacity to nearby property owners who lack onsite stormwater management opportunities.”

Tuesday, May 14, 2024 in Next City

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

Downtown Los Angeles skyline viewed from a distance with freeway and trees in foreground.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods

A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

3 hours ago - USC Dornsife

Aerial view of Claifornia aqueduct with green orchard on one side.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy

California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

4 hours ago - Turlock Journal

Close-up of older woman's hands resting on white modern heating radiator mounted on wall indoors.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program

The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.

5 hours ago - The New York Times