Issues in urban hydrology: The emerging field of urban contaminant hydrology

摘要

Urbanization is a global phenomenon that can impart significant small- and large-scale changes in hydrologic systems. The research that has traditionally been included in the realm defined as "Urban Hydrology" has primarily focused on issues associated with storm water runoff, flood assessment, lower infiltration and increased surface runoff due to impervious surfaces, and depletion of water resources as a result of drinking water mining from urban and suburban aquifers. However, a more progressive definition of Urban Hydrology should include topics associated with aquifer- and catchment-scale contaminant hydrology and water quality. These areas are ideal for publication in the Journal of Contaminant Hydrology. Thus, for this special issue, we define Urban Hydrology broadly to include any interactions between the urban environment and physical and chemical hydrology. This definition also allows for inclusion of topics not often published in the journal, such as quantitative assessments associated with water-resources planning and policy, but that are clearly relevant to Urban Hydrology.