Disconnected Canal Networks, Diminished Resilience: Rethinking Bangkok’s Urban Water Management

Urbanization and single-purpose flood-control infrastructure have fundamentally restructured the hydrological regimes and canal networks in many delta cities, with Bangkok’s diminishing canal networks serving as a key example of this transformation. Once vital for flood mitigation, irrigation, transportation, and cultural functions, Bangkok’s canals have declined with the shift to land-based development and single-purpose flood control. This study draws on spatial and land-use change analyses of three representative canal networks, which exhibit varying levels of urbanization and canal morphology, to illustrate different patterns of canal loss, sub-canal fragmentation, and surrounding land-use transitions over time. The findings show that canal loss closely paralleled the expansion of impervious surfaces and land-use change, reflecting not only a shift toward rigid, single-purpose water management infrastructure but also a transformation in societal perceptions from water-based to land-based living. This dual shift has disconnected communities from their waterways, weakened urban flood resilience, and neglected the broader ecological and cultural value of canal networks. To address these challenges, strategies for restoring and reconnecting canal networks as multifunctional Blue–Green Infrastructure (BGI) are recommended, including reconstructing missing segments, enhancing lateral connectivity, and applying green engineering solutions. The study highlights the importance of incorporating historical canal data into hydrological models to support evidence-based flood mitigation strategies, and also identifies key research gaps concerning the socio-political feasibility of canal restoration and the integration of future climate scenarios into flood modeling. By reframing canal networks as critical infrastructure for urban sustainability, this study contributes to broader academic and policy discussions on adaptive water management in delta cities.