Quantitative evaluation of the urban water Cycle: Definition and use of the water cycle area ratio

Abstract

This study introduces the concept of the water cycle area ratio designed for the critical evaluation and optimization of urban water management systems. The metric offers a quantitative criterion of water cycle robustness, correlating it with specific land use patterns and surface conditions. Factors such as evaporation, infiltration, runoff, and rainwater utilization are incorporated into this comprehensive assessment. Additionally, this study provides a detailed methodology for computing the ratio, encompassing considerations relevant to groundwater consumption and the deployment of water management infrastructure. The research accentuates the value of the water cycle area ratio as a pivotal index for the strategic planning of urban water management, as well as for mitigating the detrimental consequences of extreme climatic occurrences. Moreover, the study emphasizes the imperative for targeted infrastructural developments in areas with suboptimal water cycle area ratios to improve the resilience of the water cycle against floods, droughts, and heat island phenomena.

Keywords

• Evaporation
• Rainwater utilization
• Runoff
• Water cycle area ratio
• Water management indicator