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Urban
Watershed Research
The Ecological
Cities Project is currently engaged in a two-year study on the management
of urban aquatic ecosystems. Follow the links below for more information
on our work.
Overview
Project Summary
Case Studies
Watershed Management Goals and Strategies
Watershed Management Issues
Slideshow on Urban Watershed
Management
Working Papers
Overview
The National
Science Foundation has funded a two-year study by the Ecological Cities
Project seeks to assess comparative regional experience concerning urban
water resources. The rapid sprawl of metropolitan regions since the
1950’s has been accompanied by the degradation of ecological habitats,
processes, and resources. Aquatic systems in the path of urbanization,
such as local watersheds, streams, wetlands, groundwater aquifers, and
coastal waters have been widely polluted, littered, dredged, filled,
paved over, channelized, walled, and otherwise abused. In the process,
“Nature’s services” (in Gretchen Daily’s term) – such as flood mitigation,
water quality filtering, biotic habitat, nutrient uptake, soil formation,
and scenic amenity – have been impaired or obliterated. This has compelled
cities, regions, states, and the federal government to substitute costly
technology for those services, as with structural flood protection and
water treatment plants. In addition, water-based recreation, commercial
and sport fishing, birding, and visual amenities have all been impaired.
Case
Studies
A portion
of our research on urban stream management will be presented in a series
of detailed case studies. The EC Project is currently conducting case
studies of the following urban watersheds:
Anacostia
River - Washington, DC
Buffalo Bayou - Houston, TX
Charles River - Boston, MA
Johnson Creek - Portland, OR
Laurel Creek - Ontario, Canada
Little Miami River - Lebanon, OH
Milwaukee River - Milwaukee, WI
Nine Mile Run - Pittsburgh, PA
Park River - Hartford, CT
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Watershed
Management Goals and Strategies
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Water
Quality
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Flood
Hazard Reduction
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- Point
Sources
- Nonpoint
Sources
- TMDLs
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- Riverine
- Estuarine
- Stormwater
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Water
Supply
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Recreation
and Aesthetics
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- Surface
- Ground
- Watershed
Management
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- Waterfront
Access
- Boating
and Fishing
- Parks
- Greenways/Trails
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Economic
and Social
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Biodiversity
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- Ports
and Navigation
- Tourism
- Brownfield
Reuse
- Neighborhood
Regreening
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- Aquatic
- Riparian
- Terrestrial
- Environmental
Education
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Urban
Watershed Management Issues
- Conflicting management objectives
- Overcoming political fragmentation
- Balancing public and private interests
- Changing priorities over time - e.g. flooding, biodiversity
- Social justice - wealthy and poor share same watersheds
- Unfunded federal mandates - e.g. filtration of drinking water
- NIMBYism
- Bureaucracy and red tape
- Shifting personnel - loss of institutional memory
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