Bluegreen nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and citizen wellbeing

City Blues

Restoring Bueris and Ravnbakke Streams in Aarhus

28 November 2025

Aarhus Municipality has launched an ambitious restoration of two streams that run through a new and expanding district Nye. Small Bueris and Ravnbakke streams in Aarhus are now undergoing a big makeover.

Technical details

The restauration supports the development of Nye, a new sustainable suburb expected to house up to 20,000 residents over the coming decades. Building a suburb this size changes how rainwater moves across the landscape: more roofs and paved surfaces increase runoff and heightening risks of channel erosion will increase the flows and place pressure on small streams. Stream restauration aims to make the streams more resilient to those pressures while creating space for water to slow down, infiltrate and support wildlife rather than simply piping runoff away.

Aarhus Municipality is advancing nature-based restoration of Bueris and Ravnbakke streams as part of the City Blues project. Historically straightened and culverted for agriculture, the streams lack natural habitats and resilience. The restoration aims to reverse these impacts through nature-based solutions that combine climate adaptation, biodiversity enhancement, and recreational value.

Key actions include:

Re-opening and re-meandering the stream to restore natural curves, slow water flow, and improve habitat diversity.
Ecological restoration of riparian zone along the streams banks for stabilizing riverbanks, supporting the biodiversity, water quality and regulating the water flow.
Increasing the capacity in streams to reduce the flood risk.
Retention basins and flow regulation to reduce flood peaks and maintain baseflow during dry periods and minimize the drought risk.

The project has been developed through a co-creation process involving municipal departments, the water utility, developers, and other stakeholders. Preventing flooding, limiting erosion, ensuring water quality, and at the same time boosting biodiversity and public amenity were identified as key objectives. Construction began in September 2025 following permit approval under the Danish Watercourse Act. The expected deadline is in January.

By integrating ecological design with urban planning, Bueris and Ravnbakke will become a resilient blue-green corridor, offering flood protection, improved water quality, and accessible green space for the Nye community.