ABSTRACT
Local changes to rainfall volumes and intensity caused by thermal conditions over urban surfaces, combine with regional, globally driven, climate change factors to make predicting future urban hydrological regimes difficult. Increased magnitude and higher intensity storm rainfalls will lead to larger volumes of stormwater runoff being carried into urban drainage systems, whether flood channels, sewers or grassed waterways. Urban areas have a dual hydrological system: the people-modified natural drainage system, including canals and river diversions, and the artificial water supply and the wastewater disposal system. Under natural conditions, rain that fell on Long Island would infiltrate and eventually reach the stream as groundwater. The integrated river basin management of the large rivers of Europe shows that cities can no longer just consider the safety of their own inhabitants but have to ensure that they work with other urban areas and with rural authorities so that the whole river basin functions effectively.
