Beyond the Flow: The Many Facets of Gazelle Valley Park (Jerusalem), an Urban Nature-Based Solution for Flood Mitigation in a Mediterranean Climate

Yoav Ben Dor (), Galit Sharabi, Raz Nussbaum, Sabri Alian, Efrat Morin, Elyasaf Freiman, Amanda Lind, Inbal Shemesh, Amir Balaban, Rami Ozinsky and Elad Levintal
Additional contact information
Yoav Ben Dor: Geochemistry and Environmental Geology Division, Geological Survey of Israel, Jerusalem 9692100, Israel
Galit Sharabi: Geochemistry and Environmental Geology Division, Geological Survey of Israel, Jerusalem 9692100, Israel
Raz Nussbaum: The Fredy and Nadine Herrmann Institute of Earth Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
Sabri Alian: Geochemistry and Environmental Geology Division, Geological Survey of Israel, Jerusalem 9692100, Israel
Efrat Morin: The Fredy and Nadine Herrmann Institute of Earth Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
Elyasaf Freiman: Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boker 8499000, Israel
Amanda Lind: Gazelle Valley Park, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, Jerusalem 9370102, Israel
Inbal Shemesh: Gazelle Valley Park, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, Jerusalem 9370102, Israel
Amir Balaban: Gazelle Valley Park, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, Jerusalem 9370102, Israel
Rami Ozinsky: Gazelle Valley Park, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, Jerusalem 9370102, Israel
Elad Levintal: Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boker 8499000, Israel

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-21

Abstract: Rapid urban expansion and increasing population density intensify the loss of open spaces, exacerbate flooding frequency and runoff pollution, increase the urban heat island effect, and deteriorate ecological resilience and human well-being. This study presents Gazelle Valley Park (GVP) in Jerusalem (Israel), a unique large-scale ecohydrological infrastructure within a dense Mediterranean city. GVP was established in 2015 following a public-led campaign and comprises a multifunctional nature-based solution designed to collect and circulate stormwater through a series of vegetated ponds, enhancing filtration, aeration, and pollutant removal, while sustaining a wetland ecosystem. Its design follows international ecological standards and embodies the principle “from nuisance to resource”, transforming urban runoff into an asset that supports rich biodiversity while offering recreational, cultural, and educational activities. During the dry summer, reclaimed wastewater is introduced in order to support a perennial aquatic habitat, which introduces various challenges due to increased salinity, oxygen demand, and contaminants. Hydrometric and geochemical monitoring demonstrates strong correlations between rainfall and runoff and point at the role of sedimentation and vegetation in reducing pollutant loads. The park benefits from its holistic operation, where hydrology, ecology, education, and public engagement are integrated, thus making the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Keywords: nature-based solutions; stormwater; reclaimed wastewater; urban nature; urban hydrology; flood mitigation; eco-hydrology; education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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