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Hydrological responses to changes in the proportion of green-grey-blue infrastructures following urban expansion

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  • Wang, Pengfei
  • Liu, Junguo
  • Zhang, Shuyu
  • Liu, Shuman
  • Tan, Soon Keat

Abstract

This study quantified the hydrological impacts of changes in the proportion of green-grey-blue infrastructures in the Maozhou River Basin following urban expansion in the basin from 1990 to 2019. This study found that, as the proportion of green area decreased, both runoff and runoff coefficient exhibited increasing trends, whereas evapotranspiration showed a decreasing trend. The changes in the magnitude of the relevant hydrologic processes were found to be non-linear and strongly correlated with variations in the areal extent of the green-grey-blue infrastructures. From 1990 to 2011, the reduction in green infrastructure area was the primary cause of increased runoff, runoff coefficient, and decreased evapotranspiration. After 2012, and following the shift of urban expansion focus on sustainable development, the areal expansion of grey infrastructure became the dominant factor influencing the hydrologic processes, much larger than the effects of green infrastructure. The impact of changes in green-grey-blue infrastructure areas on hydrologic processes is significant, albeit at a slower rate compared to that in 2012, and underscores a critical shift in the hydrological regime of the Maozhou River Basin.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Pengfei & Liu, Junguo & Zhang, Shuyu & Liu, Shuman & Tan, Soon Keat, 2026. "Hydrological responses to changes in the proportion of green-grey-blue infrastructures following urban expansion," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 512(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:512:y:2026:i:c:s0304380025003849
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2025.111398
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    References listed on IDEAS

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