Climate-Resilient Design Strategies for Urban Drainage in Coastal Ghana

Urban drainage systems in coastal areas of Ghana are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts such as increased rainfall intensity and sea-level rise. A mixed-methods approach combining field surveys with engineering simulations was employed to assess current drainage infrastructure and propose resilient designs. Field surveys revealed that existing drainage networks are predominantly designed based on historical rainfall patterns without considering future climate scenarios. A key finding is the need for at least a 20% reduction in stormwater runoff to mitigate flooding risks under projected climate change conditions. The study concludes that incorporating climate-resilient design principles can significantly improve urban drainage systems' performance against climate-induced challenges, with specific recommendations for material selection and system sizing. Specific recommendations include the use of permeable pavements in new developments to enhance water infiltration capacity and periodic maintenance schedules tailored to local climate forecasts. Climate change, Urban drainage, Coastal resilience, Design strategies, Ghana The maintenance outcome was modelled as $Y_{it}=\beta_0+\beta_1X_{it}+u_i+\varepsilon_{it}$, with robustness checked using heteroskedasticity-consistent errors.