Design and assessment of sustainable retention ponds for flood reduction in an urban drainage system in Cuba

Carlos Lázaro Castillo García; Yosvany Aguila Domínguez; Víctor Manuel Carvajal González; Jorge Jimenez; Lisdelys González-Rodríguez

doi:10.2478/johh-2025-0021

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Design and assessment of sustainable retention ponds for flood reduction in an urban drainage system in Cuba

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

Volume 73 (2025): Issue 3 (September 2025)

By: Carlos Lázaro Castillo García, Yosvany Aguila Domínguez, Víctor Manuel Carvajal González, Jorge Jimenez and Lisdelys González-Rodríguez

Open Access

|Sep 2025

Abstract

Flooding may cause substantial environmental, economic and human losses. This study proposes a design and assessment of sustainable retention ponds to reduce flood risk in an urban drainage system of Capiro-Bengochea, Santa Clara, Cuba. The design integrates green infrastructure principles with hydrological and hydraulic modeling tools. The study analyzed 11 rainfall events to simulate runoff behavior and the effectiveness of proposed solutions. Retention ponds significantly reduced peak runoff by up to 77%, mitigating flooding risks, enhancing urban aesthetics and offering recreational benefits while addressing technical challenges. This study introduces innovative sustainable urban drainage strategies to Cuban contexts, aligning with global practices and demonstrating the multifunctionality of nature-based solutions in stormwater management.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2025-0021 | Journal eISSN: 1338-4333 | Journal ISSN: 0042-790X

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Language: English

Page range: 273 - 283

Submitted on: Jan 22, 2025

Accepted on: Aug 11, 2025

Published on: Sep 27, 2025

Published by: Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrology

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

Keywords:

Retention ponds,

Sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS),

Stormwater drainage design,

Flood risk mitigation

Related subjects:

Engineering,

Introductions and overviews,

Engineering, other

© 2025 Carlos Lázaro Castillo García, Yosvany Aguila Domínguez, Víctor Manuel Carvajal González, Jorge Jimenez, Lisdelys González-Rodríguez, published by Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrology
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Volume 73 (2025): Issue 3 (September 2025)