Print PageThe Los Angeles water system is highly engineered, involving water sources that have been imported over hundreds of kilometers. However, hydrology and ecology are still closely linked in this ecosystem, as in most semi-arid urban ecosystems in which surface characteristics, vegetation, climate, and water flows are all highly transformed. Although these systems are human-dominated, there are many uncertainties in the water budget because evapotranspiration, runoff, groundwater recharge, and leakage are poorly constrained. Decision-making, governance, and socioeconomic factors play important roles in determining urban hydrologic budgets. We offer a framework to integrate these factors in studies that combine biophysical and social dimensions of the urban water system using the example of Los Angeles, which is facing critical issues in water supply and demand, and which can benefit from a more comprehensive understanding of the factors that determine water consumption, distribution, and availability.
Results/Conclusions
Using data on urban water consumption from the local utility coupled with remote sensing data, ecological measurements, hydrologic modeling, and interviews with the Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power, we developed an urban water budget including the amount and fate of outdoor water application, as well as mechanistic factors that influence the ecohydrology of Los Angeles. These include ecological, physical, and sociodemographic variables. The overall goal is to place these results in the context of quantifying the costs and benefits of using urban forestry and landscape management to enhance ecosystem services in the Los Angeles region.
