Water factor in landscape planning of the area

Abstract

The landscape planning projects consider different aspects of the water component, depending on the aims and characteristics of the natural and socioeconomic state of the areas. The selection of criteria and theoretical justification of the factors for assessing water potential are of special attention in this work. Notably, the water factor of the territorial development and, primarily, its water ecological aspect is a limiting element in many cases. Analysis of the conditions for the runoff formation and transformation as well as the relationship of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the runoff with the landscape elements allow determination of hydrological organization of the area and landscape hydrological zoning to substantiate the objectives of the territorial development. The methodology of landscape planning allows the introduction of the theory of landscape hydrological approach into the practice of land use planning. The combination of these approaches provides a functionally sound tool for the practical implementation of the scientific findings into the recommended actions and measures for the ecologically friendly environmental management and the sustainable development of certain areas. The article discusses hydrological aspects of some landscape planning projects that were fulfilled in V.B. Sochava Institute of Geography SB RAS as well as in collaboration with colleagues from Armenia and Germany.