Overcoming challenges in mapping hydrography and heterogeneity in urban landscapes

Hydrological Processes
By: , and 

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Abstract

Understanding how water moves through a watershed is one of the most fundamental yet often complicated aspects of hydrology, especially in urban areas. Urban infrastructure and water management alter natural hydrological pathways in developed watersheds, which can violate assumptions of a watershed approach to ecosystem science. We focus on two aspects of urban landscapes that often create challenges to model watershed processes within and among urban areas: (1) accurate delineation of urban flow paths and (2) consistent characterisation of the urban landscape within and among cities. Here, we describe these challenges and identify how certain components of these challenges can be addressed, highlighting examples and lessons learned in a project that is assessing scales and drivers of variability in dissolved organic carbon across five urban centres in the United States. Our goal is to facilitate a dialogue that will advance the applications of watershed approaches in urban ecosystem science by recognising and addressing these challenges. Our examples focus on the United States but could be applicable to similar urban challenges in other locations globally.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Overcoming challenges in mapping hydrography and heterogeneity in urban landscapes
Series title Hydrological Processes
DOI 10.1002/hyp.70221
Volume 39
Issue 8
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher Wiley
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Leetown, Washington Water Science Center
Description e70221, 12 p.
Country United States
State Florida, Massachusetts, Utah
City Boston, Miami, Salt Lake City
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