Importance of water objects for the sustainable development of megalopolises

¹ Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, 129337, Yaroslavskoye Shosse 26, Moscow, Russia
² Göttingen, Germany

^* Corresponding author: suzdalevaal@yandex.ru

Abstract

The expansion of megacities leads to the isolation of a large part of their population from the environment. The lack of contact with nature contributes to the development of ecological frustrations and deprivations, unconscious sense of discomfort, which is the cause of the development of a wide range of dangerous diseases, reduction of the birth rate and degradation of the urban population. A solution to this problem can be the organization of a network of recreation places for the urban population (resorts, created on the basis of the preserved elements of the hydrographic network). Positive perception of water objects by human consciousness is one of the main means of ecological relaxation, removal of psychological stress from constant stay in anthropogenic environment. At the same time, resorts should meet the needs of all main social groups. They should include both ecological relaxation zones and places of active recreation . Particular attention is paid to the organization of environmental education activities. Private cases of recreational use of the city’s water bodies are also possible, such as attracting cave explorers to study the underground rivers. In general, resorts based on urban water bodies should become a public space, covering the entire inhabited territory of the metropolis. The system of assessing the social significance of Moscow’s water bodies is developed on the basis of their comprehensive survey. Analysis of their current state takes into account general patterns of historical development of hydrographic networks of the city, and the requirements of the population to the appearance of public spaces created on water bodies of the city and to assess their social significance.