TY - JOUR
T1 - Integrated modeling in urban hydrology: reviewing the role of monitoring technology in overcoming the issue of ‘big data’ requirements
AU - Hutchins, Mike G.
AU - McGrane, Scott
AU - Miller, James
AU - Hagen-Zanker, Alex
AU - Kjeldsen, Thomas
AU - Dadson, Simon
AU - Rowland, Claire
PY - 2017/1
Y1 - 2017/1
N2 - Increasingly, the application of models in urban hydrology has undergone a shifttoward integrated structures that recognize the interconnected nature of theurban landscape and both the natural and engineered water cycles. Improvements in computational processing during the past few decades have enabled the application of multiple, connected model structures that link previously disparate systems together, incorporating feedbacks and connections. Many applications of integrated models look to assess the impacts of environmental change on physical dynamics and quality of landscapes. Whilst these integrated structures provide a more robust representation of natural dynamics, they often place considerable data requirements on the user, whereby data are required at contrasting spatial and temporal scales which can often transcend multiple disciplines. Concomitantly, our ability to observe complex, natural phenomena at contrasting scales has improved considerably with the advent of increasingly novel monitoring technologies. This has provided a pathway for reducing model uncertainty and improving our confidence in modeled outputs by implementingsuitable monitoring regimes. This commentary assesses how component modelsof an exemplar integrated model have advanced over the past few decades, witha critical focus on the role of monitoring technologies that have enabled betteridentification of the key physical process. This reduces the uncertainty of processes at contrasting spatial and temporal scales, through a better characterization of feedbacks which then enhances the utility of integrated model applications.
AB - Increasingly, the application of models in urban hydrology has undergone a shifttoward integrated structures that recognize the interconnected nature of theurban landscape and both the natural and engineered water cycles. Improvements in computational processing during the past few decades have enabled the application of multiple, connected model structures that link previously disparate systems together, incorporating feedbacks and connections. Many applications of integrated models look to assess the impacts of environmental change on physical dynamics and quality of landscapes. Whilst these integrated structures provide a more robust representation of natural dynamics, they often place considerable data requirements on the user, whereby data are required at contrasting spatial and temporal scales which can often transcend multiple disciplines. Concomitantly, our ability to observe complex, natural phenomena at contrasting scales has improved considerably with the advent of increasingly novel monitoring technologies. This has provided a pathway for reducing model uncertainty and improving our confidence in modeled outputs by implementingsuitable monitoring regimes. This commentary assesses how component modelsof an exemplar integrated model have advanced over the past few decades, witha critical focus on the role of monitoring technologies that have enabled betteridentification of the key physical process. This reduces the uncertainty of processes at contrasting spatial and temporal scales, through a better characterization of feedbacks which then enhances the utility of integrated model applications.
KW - hydrology
KW - urban
UR - http://wires.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WiresArticle/wisId-WAT21177.html
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1177
U2 - 10.1002/wat2.1177
DO - 10.1002/wat2.1177
M3 - Article
SN - 2049-1948
VL - 4
JO - WIREs Water
JF - WIREs Water
M1 - e1177
ER -