The relationship between urban design, water quality, and quality of life

• Main Author: Stewart, Justin Thomas
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Urban design; Water quality; Quality of life; Smart Growth; Stormwater; Water management
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2152/22562

This report uncovers relationships between water quality and quality of life (QOL) through urban design. It shows that Smart Growth (a type of urban design) is a reasonable management practice for stormwater that can also positively affect our quality of life. This study is meant to support and inspire further research on how to link quantitative measurements of QOL with quantitative measurements of water quality through urban design characteristics. The report will introduce an ongoing study by PhD candidate, Suzanne Pierce, as her and her team currently combine water quantity/quality science with decision making. They are using the stakeholder process I served on, The Barton Springs Regional Water Quality Plan 2005, as a test bed for their creation. My hope is that this study will serve as a collection of data that Pierce’s group can draw from as they get closer to illustrating design choices for stakeholders as well as linking those choices to water quality and QOL. === text