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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Design and Construction of an Urban Runoff Research Facility
Published on: August 8, 2014
Integrated urban water cycle management: the UrbanCycle model
M J Hardy1, G Kuczera, P J Coombes
1School of Engineering, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
The UrbanCycle model offers innovative solutions for integrated urban water management by combining continuous simulation and hierarchical modeling. This approach helps evaluate water management strategies and their impacts on urban water services.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Urban Hydrology
- Water Resource Management
Background:
- Traditional urban water management paradigms limit innovative solutions.
- Growing and changing needs in water management require new evaluation tools.
- Integrated water cycle management offers a new framework for urban water services.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce the UrbanCycle model for integrated urban water management.
- Evaluate integrated water cycle management approaches.
- Explore interactions between allotment and subdivision scales in urban water systems.
Main Methods:
- Continuous simulation
- Hierarchical network modelling
- Management of computational complexity
- Integration of modelling capabilities across scales
Main Results:
- The UrbanCycle model integrates modelling capabilities across allotment and subdivision scales.
- Interactions between different scales of urban water systems can be explored.
- Case study illustrates impacts of mitigation measures on runoff and receiving waters.
Conclusions:
- The UrbanCycle model provides a tool for evaluating integrated urban water management.
- Continuous simulation and hierarchical modelling are key to the UrbanCycle model.
- Understanding scale interactions is crucial for effective urban water management.
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