Model-Based Evaluation of SUDS Efficiency in Urban Stormwater Management: A Case Study in Montería, Colombia

The rapid growth of cities and expansion of impervious surfaces have intensified surface runoff problems and urban flooding risk. This scenario, exacerbated by the effects of climate change, demands sustainable and integrated solutions. Thus, this study evaluates the pre-feasibility of implementing sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) in the Monteverde neighborhood in Montería, Colombia; an area that is critically affected by floods during rainfall events. Using the storm water management model (SWMM) and hydrological simulations based on design hyetographs for different return periods, the performance of a conventional drainage system was compared with five scenarios using SUDS. To determine the modeling scenarios, a decision-making method through the analytic hierarchy process, AHP, was used to select the most appropriate SUDS. The results showed that implementing storage tanks reduces peak flows at outlets 1 and 2 up to 50%, while bioretention zones and rain gardens in isolation showed reduced effectiveness (<6%). Combining strategies slightly improves overall efficiency, although the impact keeps being dominated by tanks. This study demonstrates that the incorporation of SUDS in vulnerable urban areas lessens water risks, strengthens urban resilience, promotes rainwater harvesting, and eases the transition to a more sustainable infrastructure. In addition, it proposes a methodology that can be replicated in other similar Latin American cities.