Since 2019, the Balkans has experienced a severe drought, which accelerated water loss in Văcărești Nature Park, an urban wetland in Bucharest, Romania. In collaboration with Dan Bărbulescu and Nicoleta Marin of the Văcărești Nature Park Association (VNPA), this project evaluated options for water management techniques utilizing volunteers to aid the organization in addressing the park’s falling water levels. The team remotely completed VNPA member interviews, wetland specialist interviews, technical research, and a volunteer survey. These tasks contributed to a series of recommended solutions to the VNPA that include crowdsourcing monitoring data, clearing vegetation, rain gardens, digging wells, and topographical and hydrogeological studies to address the falling water levels.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Yatsuhashi, Andrew
• Herrera, Erik S.
• Masiello, Catherine S.
• Hanna, Ryan J.

Subject

• Innovation
• Infrastructure
• Environment
• Sustainability
• Project-Based Learning
• Inclusion
• Well-Being
• Water
• Community

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 24256
• E-project-051321-092627

Keyword

• wetland
• conservation
• urban wetland
• water management
• nature-based solutions
• volunteer

Advisor

• Kinicki, Robert
• Butler, Melissa

Year

• 2021

Center

• Bucharest, Romania Project Center - IQP

Sponsor

• Nicoleta Marin
• Dan Bărbulescu

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
• 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
• 13 - Climate Action
• 14 - Life Below Water

Date created

• 2021-05-13

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2021-07-01