Effects of urbanization on runoff water quantity and quality: Experiences from test catchments in Southern Finland

Abstract

The main theme of this paper is to assess the complexity of rainfall‐runoff process in urbanized areas. Effects of paved and impervious surfaces on rainfall‐runoff process and storm water quality are described in three different urban study areas. Conclusions on the hydrological and water quality effects of urbanization were drawn from the results of two Finnish research projects and from the measurements carried out at the Helsinki University of Technology since the year 2001.

Keywords:

• Urban hydrology
• imperviousness
• runoff coefficient
• water quality