INVESTIGATIONS AND RESEARCH ON STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IN THE CITY OF BERGEN, NORWAY, 1981-2006

This paper describes a project conducted in the period 1981 – 2006 in the City of Bergen, Norway. The goal of the project was to create a basis for better, cheaper and more correct stormwater management and dimensioning of stormwater systems in the Bergen region and at the west coast of Norway. It also includes an education and training programme for Master students in the Civil and Environmental Engineering study programme at NTH (now NTNU), Norway. Up to the early eighties the competence on storm water management (SWM) was at a relatively low level in City of Bergen and in Norway. This initiated a project regarding increasing both theoretical and practical aspects on urban hydrology (UH) and on storm water management (SWM). During the period 1981 – 2006, there has been a considerable progress on storm water management in the City of Bergen, which has also been transferred to other parts of Norway. The project is lead by the Project group for Urban hydrological activities in Bergen (PUB), established in April 1981. PUB has been active since 1981 and has often been the only environment in Norway doing investigations and research on SWM. PUB has promoted and supported education and training of Civil Engineers. Some of them become leading persons on stormwater management in Norway and particularly in the Bergen region.