Impervious Surfaces an Indicator of Hydrological Changes
in Urban Watershed: A Review
Volume 4 - Issue 1
Lakhvinder Kaur1, Madhuri S Rishi1*, Sakshi Sharma1 and Ashu Khosla2
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- 1Department of Environment Studies, Panjab University, India
- 2Department of Geology, Panjab University, India
*Corresponding author:
Madhuri S Rishia, Department of Environment Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
Received: October 22, 2019; Published: November 01, 2019
DOI: 10.32474/OAJESS.2019.04.000178
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Abstract
In water scarce urban areas of the present world, groundwater management is a major environmental concern. Replenishment
of water resources is a complex and slow process, which is catered mainly through the land surface from its contact on ground as a
catchment area, infiltration inside, groundwater flow to groundwater recharge and its storage. Urbanization has been considered
responsible for causing alterations in natural landscapes and hydrological cycle on a vast scale. Soil sealing by the construction of
impervious surfaces not only impact the hydrology of that particular area but also hampers existing ecological balance of adjacent
pervious area. However, not much knowledge has yet been gathered about impervious surfaces in relation to hydrological changes
in the urban areas. Therefore, the current review investigates the effect of increasing impervious land area on various hydrologic
components including rainfall, infiltration, surface runoff, evapotranspiration, groundwater recharge and its replenishment. The
review highlights that the removal of natural vegetation and sealing of soils by building impervious surfaces impact the urban
hydrology more significantly as it enhances the urban heat island effect and consequently increases the rainfall resulting in
higher surface runoff volume and the stream peak flow rate leading to rising urban flood potential. It also adds to the lowering of
groundwater replenishment, soil moisture and evapotranspiration, thereby disrupting the hydrological cycle.
Keywords: Urbanization; Impervious surfaces; Hydrological cycle; Evapotranspiration; Groundwater replenishment
Abstract|
Introduction|
Impact of Impervious Surfaces on Hydrological Cycle|
Contamination Sources|
Conclusion|
References|