Producción Científica Profesorado

Preliminary Model-Based Evaluation of Water Conservation Strategies in a Semi-Arid Urban Zone



Vázquez Rodríguez, Gabriela Alejandra

2022

Zúñiga-Estrada, M.A.; Lizárraga-Mendiola, L.; Bigurra-Alzati, C.A.; Aldana-Alonso, S.E.; Ramírez-Núñez, J.S.; Vázquez-Rodríguez, G.A. Preliminary Model-Based Evaluation of Water Conservation Strategies in a Semi-Arid Urban Zone. Land 2022, 11, 101. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11010101


Abstract


The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stormwater management model was applied to a semi-arid urban micro watershed. The sub-catchment?s current features were modeled as scenario A, while the insertion of a set of LID technologies (rain barrels, bioretention cells, permeable pavement, and infiltration trenches) was represented as scenario B. A third scenario (C), considering only the most feasible LID technologies, was also modeled. All the scenarios were evaluated under two representative storm events (30 and 9 mm in two consecutive days, and 39 mm of rainfall in one day) occurred during the sampling performed in this study. Water quality was also simulated for a 30-mm storm event and compared against field assessment results after a real 30-mm storm event. Through the model, the inefficiency of current evacuation methods after 30- and 39-mm storm events was demonstrated. Simulation of scenario B showed that LID technologies could satisfactorily diminish peak flows generated by the selected storm events as well as runoff-conveyed pollution, while the realistic scenario allowed a lower but satisfactory hydrological performance and almost the same runoff quality than scenario B. This preliminary study could contribute to spread awareness about the benefits of LID technologies in semi-arid urban areas of the developing world.



Producto de Investigación




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