Coordination of natural and built infrastructure to better manage extreme events: a hydro-finance modeling framework
Natural infrastructure offers a promising, soft-path solution to water security challenges; however, the scientific framework for siting and measuring the efficacy of such restoration projects is nascent. In this paper, we developed a hydro-finance modeling framework to analyze the impact of constru...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ada45d |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832577768803532800 |
|---|---|
| author | Hongkai Gao Reepal Dinesh Shah Dai Yamazaki Theodore J Bohn Glen Low John Louis Sabo |
| author_facet | Hongkai Gao Reepal Dinesh Shah Dai Yamazaki Theodore J Bohn Glen Low John Louis Sabo |
| author_sort | Hongkai Gao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Natural infrastructure offers a promising, soft-path solution to water security challenges; however, the scientific framework for siting and measuring the efficacy of such restoration projects is nascent. In this paper, we developed a hydro-finance modeling framework to analyze the impact of constructed wetlands on streamflow extremes and cash flow compared to a purely built, or hard path, infrastructure project. Wetlands significantly diminished the flood peak but had variable—and often negative effects—on baseflow. By contrast, flood peak reduction volumes by wetlands were of adequate size to offset flood pool requirements in downstream reservoirs and meet low-flow targets to sustain manufacturing during the dry season. Net positive cash flow originating from avoided costs of water tariffs offset or exceeded capital costs of modestly sized wetlands built on low value land leading to water security solutions that generate revenue. Building back nature can be profitable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c1ae421f2f554f13a457357dbb82a139 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-c1ae421f2f554f13a457357dbb82a1392025-01-30T15:52:42ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262025-01-0120202403610.1088/1748-9326/ada45dCoordination of natural and built infrastructure to better manage extreme events: a hydro-finance modeling frameworkHongkai Gao0Reepal Dinesh Shah1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8905-7534Dai Yamazaki2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6478-1841Theodore J Bohn3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1880-9129Glen Low4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9010-8928John Louis Sabo5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5259-0709Future H2O, Office of Knowledge Enterprise, Arizona State University , PO Box 875402, Tempe, AZ 85287-5402, United States of AmericaFuture H2O, Office of Knowledge Enterprise, Arizona State University , PO Box 875402, Tempe, AZ 85287-5402, United States of AmericaInstitute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo , 4-6-1 Komaba Meguro-Ku, Tokyo 153-8505, JapanDecision Center for a Desert City, Arizona State University, Brickyard Orchid House , 21 E. 6th Street, Suite 126B, Tempe, AZ 85287-8209, United States of AmericaThe Earth Genome , 121 Pepper Drive, Los Altos, CA, United States of AmericaFuture H2O, Office of Knowledge Enterprise, Arizona State University , PO Box 875402, Tempe, AZ 85287-5402, United States of AmericaNatural infrastructure offers a promising, soft-path solution to water security challenges; however, the scientific framework for siting and measuring the efficacy of such restoration projects is nascent. In this paper, we developed a hydro-finance modeling framework to analyze the impact of constructed wetlands on streamflow extremes and cash flow compared to a purely built, or hard path, infrastructure project. Wetlands significantly diminished the flood peak but had variable—and often negative effects—on baseflow. By contrast, flood peak reduction volumes by wetlands were of adequate size to offset flood pool requirements in downstream reservoirs and meet low-flow targets to sustain manufacturing during the dry season. Net positive cash flow originating from avoided costs of water tariffs offset or exceeded capital costs of modestly sized wetlands built on low value land leading to water security solutions that generate revenue. Building back nature can be profitable.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ada45dwetlandsfloodinfrastructurecash flowpeakbaseflow |
| spellingShingle | Hongkai Gao Reepal Dinesh Shah Dai Yamazaki Theodore J Bohn Glen Low John Louis Sabo Coordination of natural and built infrastructure to better manage extreme events: a hydro-finance modeling framework Environmental Research Letters wetlands flood infrastructure cash flow peak baseflow |
| title | Coordination of natural and built infrastructure to better manage extreme events: a hydro-finance modeling framework |
| title_full | Coordination of natural and built infrastructure to better manage extreme events: a hydro-finance modeling framework |
| title_fullStr | Coordination of natural and built infrastructure to better manage extreme events: a hydro-finance modeling framework |
| title_full_unstemmed | Coordination of natural and built infrastructure to better manage extreme events: a hydro-finance modeling framework |
| title_short | Coordination of natural and built infrastructure to better manage extreme events: a hydro-finance modeling framework |
| title_sort | coordination of natural and built infrastructure to better manage extreme events a hydro finance modeling framework |
| topic | wetlands flood infrastructure cash flow peak baseflow |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ada45d |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hongkaigao coordinationofnaturalandbuiltinfrastructuretobettermanageextremeeventsahydrofinancemodelingframework AT reepaldineshshah coordinationofnaturalandbuiltinfrastructuretobettermanageextremeeventsahydrofinancemodelingframework AT daiyamazaki coordinationofnaturalandbuiltinfrastructuretobettermanageextremeeventsahydrofinancemodelingframework AT theodorejbohn coordinationofnaturalandbuiltinfrastructuretobettermanageextremeeventsahydrofinancemodelingframework AT glenlow coordinationofnaturalandbuiltinfrastructuretobettermanageextremeeventsahydrofinancemodelingframework AT johnlouissabo coordinationofnaturalandbuiltinfrastructuretobettermanageextremeeventsahydrofinancemodelingframework |