Best Management Practices in Urban Water Cycle

The uncertainty that arises from future environmental and climatic challenges requires new approaches towards urban water management in Mediterranean cities. In this work, an urban water cycle (UWC) strategy based on the best management practices (BMPs) of water-sensitive urban design (WSUD) is proposed for the transition of a coastal city in the south of Portugal into a water-sensitive city (WSC), in line with the Municipal Strategy for Climate Change Adaptation of Loulé (EMAAC of Loulé). The city’s watershed was identified using the ArcMap Hydrology toolset with geospatial data provided by Loulé’s Municipal Council Operational Unit for Adaptation to Climate Change and Circular Economy (UOACEC). A broad characterisation of the study area was conducted, identifying existing resources to further develop a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. The Hydrology toolset outputs, precipitation events records, and survey results were used to identify flood-prone areas. The opportunities and threats identified were further used to develop the transition strategy, which is focused on critical areas identified and supported by BMPs, including source control, attenuation, treatment and infiltration measures, permeable pavements, rainwater harvesting systems, and bioretention basins. The approach is designed to increase the city’s resilience to climate extremes, as well as community engagement towards UWC management.

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Requirements and possibilities of best management practises for storm water run-off from the view of ecological townplanning

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1997.0686 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 36 (8-9) ◽

pp. 319-323 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mathias Kaiser

Keyword(s):

Urban Planning ◽

Water Cycle ◽

Storm Water ◽

Comprehensive System ◽

Urban Water ◽

Best Management ◽

Total Spectrum ◽

Run Off ◽

Two Cities ◽

Urban Water Cycle

The character of urban water cycle does not comply with the principles of sustainability. The task of restructuring the urban water cycle is to create a system which is close to a natural. The approached method for this research was to develop and demonstrate a new comprehensive system in two cities of Germany (Dortmund and Zwickau). Standardized types of settlement structure were developed in order to obtain transferable results and to portray the total spectrum of urban planning situations.

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Planning of stormwater management with a new model for drainage best management practices

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1999.0489 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 39 (9) ◽

pp. 253-260 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Erik Ristenpart

Keyword(s):

Best Management Practices ◽

Stormwater Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Water Cycle ◽

Best Management ◽

New Concepts ◽

Ecological Criteria ◽

Management Concept ◽

Rainfall Runoff Model ◽

Runoff Model

Storm water management is a high priority topic in urban drainage in Germany and many other countries. New concepts are combining a variety of measures (best management practices as well as conventional structures) to deal with stormwater runoff, also taking into account ecological criteria with respect to the local and regional water cycle. In this paper detailed information about an exemplary contemporary stormwater management concept is presented. Dimensioning and proof of performance of the different drainage structures was carried out with the help of an innovative rainfall-runoff model which is also briefly described.

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The California Urban Water Conservation Council: a consensus partnership for water conservation

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2003.0037 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 281-288

Author(s):

M.A. Dickinson

Keyword(s):

Best Management Practices ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Management Practices ◽

The United States ◽

Water Utilities ◽

Urban Water ◽

Water Efficiency ◽

Environmental Groups ◽

Best Management ◽

Conservation Council

California, perhaps more than any other of the United States, has been a leader in water efficiency experiments. It adopted uniform efficient plumbing standards in 1978 for showerheads and faucets and the same for water closets in 1992. Comprehensive water management planning was adopted in 1983 for all water agencies serving more than 3,000 connections or 3,000 people, and in 1991, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by major water utilities and environmental groups statewide - pledging to implement standardized water efficiency programs called “Best Management Practices” in an attempt to help save the dying Bay-Delta Estuary. The California Urban Water Conservation Council, created by this Memorandum, is a non-profit NGO formed to oversee the Best Management Practices and to enforce the terms of the Memorandum. Since the historic signing of this Memorandum ten years ago, the Council has become a national example of consensus partnership on water efficiency. Water utilities and environmental groups work together on defining programs for water conservation, not as adversaries fighting each other in the press or in the courtroom. Technical assistance provided by Council staff helps utilities plan and implement conservation projects. This paper will outline national programs and will focus specifically on the Council partnership, which has resulted in benefits to water utilities, environmental groups, and state governmental agencies alike.

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