Assessing Socio-hydrological Resilience in Urban Metropolitan Environments: A Mexican Perspective

Abstract

Growing population and the increasing global trend of human migration from rural to urban environments are leading to an expansion of metropolitan landscapes, which threatens water security and hydrological environments within cities. Often water security and metropolitan hydrology are approached as two separate issues. Subsequently, social aspects of infrastructure inclusiveness and the social registers of hydrological landscapes are left behind. The disconnect between water management and society, and their resulting impacts, such as drought, flood or poor water quality, are exacerbated by climate change and demand the introduction of new water management strategies. We present the socio-hydrological resilience (SHR) concept as an interdisciplinary, holistic vision, which integrates socio-ecological methodologies with resilient water management practices. We examine traditional practices and present three novel approaches to water management in Mexico. On this basis, we define a set of socio-hydrological indicators that may be used to assess the resilience of urban environments to future change. We propose qualitative SHR indicators based on water security, social, and hydrological aspects. Finally, we propose a coupled method to evaluate the integration and interdependencies of these indicators. To gauge the potentially wide-ranging impacts of these alternative approaches and to assess future approaches, a quantitative set of multidisciplinary indicators is required. They are discussed but requires further research.