Assessment of the recreational usability of stormwater management systems in urban areas – a case study of Wrocław

The article presents the potential of building an effective system for sustainable stormwater management in urban areas that fulfils recreational functions, using the Nowe Żerniki estate in Wrocław (Poland) as a case study. The methodology includes desk research, cartographical analysis of the studied areas, case study, indicator analysis, and an individual in-depth interview. The study identifies a lack of a holistic approach to retention systems that integrate recreational use, leading to underutilized urban spaces. The limitations involve the complexity of assessing individual system components, which was addressed through simplified indices - RUI-E (Recreational usability index of the element) and RUI-S (Recreational usability index of the system). This simplification allows for intuitive use but opens possibilities for further development, including integrating more detailed parameters. Originality/Value lies in the ability to assess the attractiveness of an area using the proposed procedure for determining the recreational usability of stormwater management systems in urban areas. At the same time, it can serve as a tool to support urban design, making it applicable to designers and researchers in both new and existing urban developments. The Nowe Żerniki system’s recreational usability was moderate, with improvement potential.