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Water management refers to the development, distribution and management of water resources essential for human activity, including agriculture, industry and household needs. NbS can help to relieve multiple human-driven pressures on the water cycle (the way water naturally moves through rain, rivers, soil, and air), as well as improving water quality, regulating flows, and sustaining ecosystem health.
NbS such as floodplain reconnection, constructed or restored wetlands, including ponds, green infrastructure for stormwater retention, soil regeneration and vegetation buffers along rivers and streams can reduce pollutant loads, enhance infiltration, and moderate runoff peaks, thereby reducing flood and drought risks.
These interventions deliver both direct benefits, such as improved ecological status of water bodies and enhanced aquifer recharger (refilling underground water reserves), and indirect benefits, including a reduced need of water treatment and greater climate adaptation capacity. By restoring hydrological processes (the paths water takes in nature, such as rain soaking into soil, rivers flowing, or wetlands storing water) and enhancing biodiversity, NbS help maintain surface and groundwater levels, support soil moisture regulation, and safeguard wetland habitats. Measurable outcomes include reduced surface water runoff, improved nutrient and pollutant retention, and strengthened soil-water interactions.
Integrated into urban, peri-urban, and landscape planning, NbS for water management provide a cost-effective and sustainable complement to grey infrastructure, aligning with water policy objectives and delivering co-benefits for people and nature.