Performance-based resilience assessment in integrated water systems: challenges and opportunities
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Liu, Leyang
Mijic, Ana
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The concept of resilience has been increasingly applied in water systems management and planning. It has been assessed through a ‘performance-based’ approach, which derives resilience metrics from dynamic system behaviour under pressure. However, the application of this approach may face great challenges when applied to integrated water systems, including the complexities in physical processes, diverse management objectives, and siloed practices across subsystems. To assess its feasibility, we review the key elements of the performance-based resilience assessment, including performance indicators, thresholds, and resilience metrics, across urban, agricultural, and natural water subsystems. Eight challenges are identified, primarily focused on deriving consistent results across subsystems and interpreting assessment for actionable management. To address these challenges, a resilience assessment framework for integrated water systems is proposed. This framework applies unified resilience assessment approaches across subsystems to enable intercomparison and synthesises short- and long-term behavioural characteristics through a bottom-up method. Stakeholder engagement is emphasised to validate and iteratively refine assessments, enhancing the effectiveness and applicability. To demonstrate its utility, three potential application scenarios are conceptually designed to (1) quantify co-benefits and trade-offs on a unified scale, (2) evaluate the cost-effectiveness of planning decisions, and (3) guide regional planning based on catchment characteristics. Future research could test these scenarios and generate evidence to enhance decision-making for resilient integrated water systems.
Date Issued
2025-12-01
Date Acceptance
2025-08-05
Citation
Journal of Hydrology, 2025, 662 (Part C)
ISSN
0022-1694
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Hydrology
Volume
662
Issue
Part C
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Subjects
AGRICULTURE
CLIMATE
Coordinated management
DROUGHT RESILIENCE
Engineering
Engineering, Civil
FRAMEWORK
Geology
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Integrated modelling
METRICS
MODEL
Performance-based
Physical Sciences
Resilience assessment
Resilience metrics
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Science & Technology
Technology
URBAN DRAINAGE
VULNERABILITY
Water Resources
Water system
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
134042
Date Publish Online
2025-08-07