Keywords: N.A.
Climate change and urban densification influence the physical state of the natural and urban water
cycle, resulting in negative impacts such as ecological damage, land subsidence or water supply depletion. This
paper contains an overview on the functioning of urban water, specifically groundwater level categorised in
a Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to better understand the implications of water
in cities into the future and how water resilient urban planning could improve upon the impacts caused by
climate change and urban densification.
Through a literature review, the current development of methods used in groundwater estimation
techniques will become apparent. The spatial determinants used in the literature is structured and
recommendations are analysed. Groundwater level is formed by geological, topographical, meteorological,
hydro-infrastructural and land use determinants, of which the final two can be altered through urban planning.
Results also include a collection of case studies and strategy documents selected on the similar
circumstances as soil type, climate zone and landscape accidentation. The policies regarding water
management in Eindhoven, Enschede, Hannover, Münster and Norwich are analysed and compared to the
results of the literature review, uncovering the gaps between theory and practice.
Findings include: Re/detention measures should form an integrated whole between the scales of
seasonal wet periods and singular precipitation events. Artificial recharge should only be considered in areas
which do not have sufficient natural recharge potential. And while the effects of climate change on water are
universally covered in urban planning strategies, the effects of densification on water management are often
neglected.
These findings are applied in practice. A redesign proposal is made for Limbeek-Zuid and Fellenoord,
two neighbourhoods in central Eindhoven, with the goal of increasing water resilience while increasing urban
land use intensity and being subject to climate change. The redesign proposal is based on the findings in
literature and spatial analysis. It serves as an exploration of taking water resilience principles as a leading
guideline can still be fitted in a city to make it a functioning whole.