IWRA Proceedings

AbstractUrban land use fundamentally changes the quantity and quality of water flowing off the landscape. In addition to pavement, roofs and other impervious surfaces, urban drainage systems further compound alterations to the water cycle because they are conventionally engineered to whisk water away as fast as possible. While these designs mitigate flood risks and reduce puddling on streets, the consequences for aquatic biodiversity of altered flows due to urban drainage infrastructure are not fully appreciated or even studied. Changes to the natural flow regime are initiated with very small changes to land surfaces. Urbanization has catastrophic consequences for aquatic biodiversity when it reaches only about ten percent of a watershed’s land cover...