Transboundary Areas Research Articles

Typification of coastal transboundary areas in the context of sustainable land use in the Far Eastern Federal District

The article presents a number of proposals on the typification of the transboundary territories of the Far East of Russia, based on the peculiarities of geographic location and access to natural borders. A specialized designation of such regions has been proposed and a number of indicators have been developed that allow a comprehensive assessment of the ecological status of transboundary territories.

Mangrove cover and cover change analysis in the transboundary area of Kenya and Tanzania during 1986–2016

ABSTRACTMangrove forests are among the most threatened ecosystems on earth. Some of these forests traverse national boundaries complicating their management due to differences in governance structures between countries. To improve the management of transboundary species regular monitoring is essential. Remotely sensed data were used to estimate forest cover and analyze conditions of mangroves in the proposed transboundary conservation area (TBCA) between Kenya and Tanzania. Image analysis was performed using unsupervised and supervised classification methods. The transboundary mangroves cover an estimated 11,906 ha; 55% being in Kenya, 45% in Tanzania. Ceriops tagal, Avicennia marina, and Rhizophora mucronata species co-dominate the mangroves of the transboundary area. The hotspot for loss and degradation of mangrove in the TBCA is Vanga in Kenya with a loss of 27 ha/yr. Harvesting of mangrove wood products have contributed to the loss of mangroves in the transboundary area. TBCA formation could play a critical role in ensuring sustainable mangrove resources utilization.

Intraspecific diet shifts of the sesarmid crab, Sesarma dehaani, in three wetlands in the Han River estuary, South Korea

BackgroundHan River estuary is a national wetland reserve near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between South Korea and North Korea. This trans-boundary estuary area has been well preserved and shows distinctive plant communities along the salinity gradient. To elucidate energy flows and nutrient cycling in this area, we studied trophic relations between the dominant sesarmid crab, Sesarma dehaani, and food sources in three wetlands with different environments along the estuarine gradients.ResultsStable isotope signatures (δ13C and δ15N) of the crabs were significantly different among the sites and body size classes. Seasonal changes in δ13C of small crabs were distinct from those of large individuals at all the sites. The isotopic values and fatty acid profiles of the crabs were more different among the sites in September than in May. In May, large-sized crabs utilized more plant materials compared to other dietary sources in contrast to small-sized crabs as revealed by a stable isotope mixing modeling, whereas contributions to diets of crabs were not dominated by a specific diet for different body size in September except at site 1. Based on PCA loadings, fatty acid content of 18:3ω3, known as a biomarker of plant materials, was the main factor to separate size groups of crabs in May and September. The δ13C value of sediment had high correlation with those of small-sized crabs at site 1 and 2 when 1-month time lag was applied to the value for crabs during the surveyed period.ConclusionsBased on the stable isotope and fatty acid results, the consumption habits of S. dehaani appear to be distinguished by sites and their size. In particular, smaller size of S. dehaani appears to be more dependent on fewer food sources and is influenced more by the diet sources from the sediments in Han River estuary.

A tool for the selection and implementation of eco-remediation mitigation measures

Erosion processes in the watershed and sediment transport cause hydro-morphological changes, eutrophication, and the loss of storage capacity in reservoirs. This study examines the tool for the optimal selection and implementation (TSI) of eco-remediation measures (ERM) in the river basin area to improve water quality and to reduce storage loss in the reservoir in question. The main purpose of this tool is to support decisions and measures taken to correct defined problems and to improve water quality and storage capacity in the watershed while minimising sediment transport. This tool enables the effective and necessary implementation of these measures to the most critical source areas (CSAs). In order to verify its operability, we selected the Ledava reservoir with a transboundary area of 105.25 km2 in NE Slovenia and SE Austria. With the use of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), critical source areas were determined and the effects of eight different scenarios on sediment yield and load transport were simulated. The results showed that CSAs occupy 12% of the watershed and that sediment inflow into the Ledavsko jezero reservoir could be reduced by up to 30%. After determining the CSAs and which measures would be most effective, the implementation plan could be defined. Within this framework, the TSI enabled the selection of effective measures and contributed to the long-term improvement of the ecological status of surface waters required by Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), improving the quality of water bodies of all types to safeguard water ecosystems from harmful consequences.

Transdisciplinary approach of transboundary landscape studies: a case study of an Austro-Hungarian transboundary landscape

ABSTRACTLandscape is a dynamic, multi-layered, spatial–temporal system. It mirrors the results of human–nature interactions, encompassing both material and perceived reality. Landscape assessment requires transdisciplinarity that we achieve by discussing and combining three approaches: landscape character assessment (LCA), historic land-cover (LC) change analysis and narratives of local residents on landscape perception. The Austro-Hungarian transboundary study area around Lake Fertő, a world heritage cultural landscape, was divided by a state border after First World War. It provides a good example for the divergent evolution of the same biophysical landscape due to the different political and socio-economic influences. Results of the study highlight methodological issues concerning the combination of quantitative and qualitative data and the inclusion of local knowledge in the LCA. The historical cartographic analysis presents the significant differences in LC transition processes in the Austrian and the Hungarian sides of the area, resulting in dissimilarities in landscape character. The study shows the differences in landscape conceptualization and the perceptions of landscape researchers and local residents. Mutual understanding helps communication to preserve the unique landscape qualities and avoid landscape degradation by enhancing environmental awareness and facilitating common landscape management strategies.

Rare species of psammophyte flora in transboundary areas of Southern Siberia and Mongolia

Data on distribution of 3 rare species which occur in sandy arrays of cross-border territories of Southern Siberia and Mongolia are provided: Iris psammocola, Iris loczyi (Iridaceae) and Vicia tsydenii (Fabaceae), a brief characteristic of their cenopopulation is given.

Evaluating the Impacts of Integrated Pollution on Water Quality of the Trans-Boundary Neris (Viliya) River

The trans-boundary area between the Europe Union and other countries is highly susceptible to changes in water quality and variations in the potential pollution load that could influence its eco-systems significantly. The Neris (Viliya) River is one of the biggest surface water bodies in Lithuania and Belarus with an ecologically important area protected by international legislation. The study was aimed at evaluating the impacts of integrated pollution on water quality of the Neris River taking into account different storm-water flows and ecological scenarios. For this purpose, qualitative and quantitative statistical evaluation was set up and calculation was done; different integrated pollution loads of the catchment area were estimated. The evaluation considered a decrease in river discharge due to changes in the regional storm-water flow and technological development that should lead to the growing covered surface and a reduction in the untreated storm-water flows. The obtained results indicated that, in the case of storm-water treatment, the total nitrate and phosphate concentrations will decrease, while in the cases of changes in combined suspended solid, the concentration of nutrients will decrease. Thus, a trans-boundary storm-water treatment plant of the Viliya River is required as it should eliminate pollution accumulation and restore its acceptable environmental status. A coordinated international project for the entire catchment of the Neris (Viliya) River based on the specifications and requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive (EU 2000) should be developed and implemented. Subsequently, ecological river-use policies should be established at the international level, which should offer considerable perspectives for the sustainable development of the area.

Conceptualisation and perception of the landscape and its changes in a transboundary area. A case study of the Southern German-French borderland

The interaction of human civilisation with nature is reflected in landscape that we consider as a model of totality, a micro-cosmos, providing us a perfect terrain to analyse and systematise knowledge on relationships of its elements. Since we consider humans as constitutive part of the landscape, the way of thinking of stakeholders is crucial in landscape formation. In this study, we present the perception of local professionals on the landscape character and landscape changes in a German-French transboundary area, in the southern section of the Upper Rhine Valley between Freiburg/Breisgau and Colmar. Broadening the knowledge about the common and different attitudes and motivations of local professionals helps transboundary cooperation in order to preserve the unique landscape qualities and avoid landscape degradation. The research was an inductive social study based on in-depth interviews. Respondents’ narratives on present characteristics and changes of the landscapes have been analysed, compared and theorised by the grounded theory method. The assessment led first to the definition of seven interpretation axes, (ontological, epistemological, temporal, operative, causal, spatial, and personal), that gave a logical structure to order the information of the interviews and to describe the results. These dimensions also served as a red-thread for the formulation of thirteen concluding theories emerging from the assessment of the narratives. They answer the questions: What is landscape? How landscape characteristics can be captured? What happens, why, when and where in the landscape? The study revealed the similarities and differences of the attitudes, and the patterns of thoughts of German and French professionals. The study brings new insight in the field of transboundary landscape study while confirming existing results on the main topics of landscape changes and driving forces. The paper proves that future strategies have to deal with often-contradictory landscape concepts in neighbouring countries, while their understanding facilitates communication and helps harmonise goals in policies and management.

Addressing transboundary conservation challenges through marine spatial prioritization.

The Adriatic and Ionian Region is an important area for both strategic maritime development and biodiversity conservation in the European Union (EU). However, given that both EU and non-EU countries border the sea, multiple legal and regulatory frameworks operate at different scales, which can hinder the coordinated long-term sustainable development of the region. Transboundary marine spatial planning can help overcome these challenges by building consensus on planning objectives and making the trade-offs between biodiversity conservation and its influence on economically important sectors more explicit. We address this challenge by developing and testing 4 spatial prioritization strategies with the decision-support tool Marxan, which meets targets for biodiversity conservation while minimizing impacts to users. We evaluated these strategies in terms of how priority areas shift under different scales of target setting (e.g., regional vs. country level). We also examined the trade-off between cost-efficiency and how equally solutions represent countries and maritime industries (n = 14) operating in the region with the protection-equality metric. We found negligible differences in where priority conservation areas were located when we set targets for biodiversity at the regional versus country scale. Conversely, the prospective impacts on industries, when considered as costs to be minimized, were highly divergent across scenarios and biased the placement of protection toward industries located in isolation or where there were few other industries. We recommend underpinning future marine spatial planning efforts in the region through identification of areas of national significance, transboundary areas requiring cooperation between countries, and areas where impacts on maritime industries require careful consideration of the trade-off between biodiversity conservation and socioeconomic objectives.

Classification of High-Mountain Vegetation Communities within a Diverse Giant Mountains Ecosystem Using Airborne APEX Hyperspectral Imagery

Mapping plant communities is a difficult and time consuming endeavor. Methods relying on field surveys deliver high quality data but are usually limited to relatively small areas. In this paper we apply airborne hyperspectral data to vegetation mapping in remote and hard to reach areas. We classified 22 vegetation communities in the Giant Mountains on 3.12-m Airborne Prism Experiment (APEX) hyperspectral images, registered in 288 spectral bands (10 September 2012). As the classification algorithm, Support Vector Machines (SVM) was used. APEX data were corrected geometrically and atmospherically, and three dimensionality reduction methods were performed to select the best dataset. As reference we used a non-forest vegetation map containing vegetation communities of Polish Karkonosze National Park from 2002, orthophotomap and field surveys data from 2013 to 2014. We obtained the post-classification maps of 22 vegetation communities, lakes and areas without any vegetation. Iterative accuracy assessment repeated 100 times was used to obtain the most objective results for individual communities. The median value of overall accuracy (OA) was 84%. Fourteen out of twenty-four classes were classified of more than 80% of producer accuracy (PA) and sixteen out of twenty-four of user accuracy (UA). APEX data and SVM with the use of iterative accuracy assessment are useful for the mountain communities classification. This can support both Polish and Czech national parks management by giving the information about diversity of communities in the whole transboundary area, helping with identification especially in changing environment caused by humans.

ANALISIS STAKEHOLDERS DALAM PENGEMBANGAN EKOWISATA DI TAMAN NASIONAL BETUNG KERIHUN KABUPATEN KAPUAS HULU

Betung Kerihun National Park (BKNP) is a transboundary conservation area . BKNP region has various attractive ecotourism activities are covered in the context of the nature, culture and 55 adventure. But the number of foreign tourists who have visited is still low . BKNP has not been a major tourist destination yet, because the stakeholders have not synergistic in the management of ecotourism in BKNP. The study of stakeholders in accordance with its role and function is urgently needed . This research aims to identify the stakeholders and determine the relationship between stakeholders who are involved in the e cotourism d evelopment at BKNP. The data were analyzed using stakeholders analysis methods. There were 23 stakeholders identified involved in the e cotourism d evelopment in BKNP. The stakeholder mapping resulted in four as subject (high interest but low influence), six stakeholders as key player (high influence and high importance), eight stakeholders as setter context (high influence but low interest), a nd five stakeholders as crowd (low influence and low interests). There were three relationships between each stakeholder that were identified, which are communication, cooperation, and coordination.

Occurrence of large carnivores – Lynx lynx, Canis lupus, and Ursus arctos – and of Felis silvestris in the Czech Republic and western Slovakia in 2012–2016 (Carnivora)

Abstract In the last decades, large carnivores – the grey wolf (Canis lupus), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) and brown bear (Ursus arctos), and to a certain extent also the wildcat (Felis silvestris) – have increased their distribution ranges throughout Europe. Monitoring of their current distribution and population trends in the Czech Republic is crucial for the effective conservation and elimination of possible conflicts with humans in the future. In the last years, many projects focused on small-scale monitoring of large carnivores were implemented in the Czech Republic and the neighbouring mountain ranges of Slovakia. Using their results, we compiled the dataset from different regions and analysed the recent distribution of large carnivores and the wildcat. The distribution maps are based on verified data on the presence and reproduction in 2012–2016. This is consistent with the standardized methodology used across Europe. The Eurasian lynx was the most widespread of all large carnivore species in the Czech Republic, with the two trans-boundary populations (Carpathian and Bohemian-Bavarian-Austrian) occupying 94 out of 868 squares (10.8%) of the mapping grid of the Czech Republic. Reproduction was confirmed in 46.8% of the occupied squares. The grey wolf occupied 6.8% of the squares in the Czech Republic and its reproduction was confirmed in 10.2% of the occupied squares. Three reproducing packs belonging to the Central European lowland population were confirmed and the area occupied by the species increased three times within the study period. The brown bear occupied 2.8% of the squares of the Czech Republic – the area is restricted to the Carpathians – with no signs of reproduction; its distribution fluctuated heavily during the study period. The wildcat occupied the smallest range of the Czech Republic among the studied species (1.4% of the squares) but its reproduction was confirmed in a trans-boundary area (White Carpathians) at the Slovakian side of the border. The wildcat also significantly increased its range from one to six squares during the study period.

Integration of models of various types of aquifers for water quality management in the transboundary area of the Soča/Isonzo river basin (Slovenia/Italy)

Due to intrinsic characteristics of aquifers groundwater frequently passes between various types of aquifers without hindrance. The complex connection of underground water paths enables flow regardless of administrative boundaries. This can cause problems in water resources management. Numerical modelling is an important tool for the understanding, interpretation and management of aquifers. Useful and reliable methods of numerical modelling differ with regard to the type of aquifer, but their connections in a single hydrodynamic model are rare. The purpose of this study was to connect different models into an integrated system that enables determination of water travel time from the point of contamination to water sources. The worst-case scenario is considered. The system was applied in the Soča/Isonzo basin, a transboundary river in Slovenia and Italy, where there is a complex contact of karst and intergranular aquifers and surface flows over bedrock with low permeability. Time cell models were first elaborated separately for individual hydrogeological units. These were the result of numerical hydrological modelling (intergranular aquifer and surface flow) or complex GIS analysis taking into account the vulnerability map and tracer tests results (karst aquifer). The obtained cellular models present the basis of a contamination early-warning system, since it allows an estimation when contaminants can be expected to appear, and in which water sources. The system proves that the contaminants spread rapidly through karst aquifers and via surface flows, and more slowly through intergranular aquifers. For this reason, karst water sources are more at risk from one-off contamination incidents, while water sources in intergranular aquifers are more at risk in cases of long-term contamination. The system that has been developed is the basis for a single system of protection, action and quality monitoring in the areas of complex aquifer systems within or on the borders of administrative units.

Current situation of water quality Dniester River basin in transboundary areas

Introduction. Today there are significant problems of transboundary pollution of the Dniester River basin in Ukraine, including within the Vinnitska oblast.
 Purpose. The aim is to assess the current state of the watercourses of the Dniester River basin in transboundary areas with the Republic of Moldova, within the Vinnytska oblast by 2013.
 Methods. Evaluation of current watercourses quality in Dnister basin was performed based on the Methodology of environmental assessment of watercourses quality for the relevant category and on the Methods integrated assessment of groundwater contamination.
 Results. The results of water quality evaluation of the river Dniester basin in cross-border areas are assigned to them "satisfactory" and "bad" (the average and maximum environmental indices) features state and "dirty" and "dirty" qualifications purity by the Method of environmental assessment of watercourses quality in the relevant categories. By the Method of integral estimation of water courses contamination within the basin of river Dnister in Vinnytska oblast contamination status changed from "harmless" to "intensive". This shows a significant contamination of the river Dniester water basin.
 Conclusion. In order to improve the ecological state of the river basin it is necessary to conduct comprehensive monitoring of rivers, set GDS the priority given indicators of water quality, improve the culture of land and water use in watersheds. Priority execution of these measures should be in parts of the basin, characterized by the worst quality. Improvement of the situation with river Dnister basin in the cross-border region with Republic of Moldova should only be done on the state level with help of Euroregion "Dniester" initiative.

Managing coastal pelagic fisheries: A case study of the small-scale purse seine fishery in Kenya

Balancing sustainability and conservation concerns with the socioeconomic needs of small-scale fishers is a dilemma that is commonly faced by fisheries managers. In this paper, we present a case study on managing the developing small-scale purse seine (or ring net) fishery introduced to Kenya by migrant fishers. The fishery, which primarily targets coastal pelagics in offshore waters, was deduced to have the potential of reducing fishing effort on nearshore demersal reef fish stocks while enhancing fisheries production and fisher livelihoods. The expanding fishery elicited much controversy resulting in resource use conflicts related to gear competition and concerns about the environmental impacts of the gear. We detail the consultative planning process that was undertaken to develop a gear-based management plan spanning over 10 years from 2004 to 2016. We briefly document the catch dynamics and evolution of the fishery, and further detail the challenges and key outcomes of the decision-making process. Regulatory measures agreed by stakeholders include restrictions on gear dimensions as well as spatial restrictions defining the distance and depth of operation. Effective implementation and enforcement of the measures will require collective action from all stakeholders. Future considerations should focus on harmonization of proposed measures in transboundary areas.

Using dogs to find cats: detection dogs as a survey method for wide‐ranging cheetah

AbstractRapid global large carnivore declines make evaluations of remaining populations critical. Yet landscape‐scale evaluations of presence, abundance and distribution are difficult, as many species are wide‐ranging, occur only at low densities and are elusive. Insufficient information‐gathering tools for many large carnivore species compounds these challenges. Specially trained detection dogs have demonstrated effectiveness for carnivore surveys, but are untested on extremely sparse, wide‐ranging species, such as cheetah Acinonyx jubatus. In this study, we conducted the first rigorous cheetah survey using detection dogs in a key transboundary area in the remote Liuwa–Mussuma Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) in Western Zambia. We proposed to (1) evaluate the effectiveness of detection dog versus spoor surveys in detecting cheetah presence; (2) extract and analyze DNA from scat samples to estimate minimum population size and genetic effective population size; (3) determine the extent of cheetah occurrence in the unprotected transboundary corridor. Two detection dog teams surveyed 2432 km2 containing 74 randomly located transects in the transfrontier area. Twenty‐seven cheetah scats were detected and confirmed by genetic analysis, while no cheetah spoor was detected, clearly demonstrating the superiority of detection dogs in detecting cheetah presence. Combining scat samples with opportunistically collected samples, we estimated 17–19 cheetahs, an effective population size of 8–14 and a density of 5.9–6.6 per 1000 km2. Cheetah utilized key transfrontier areas outside of the national park; however, because utilization appears low, improved connectivity and protection for these areas are critical. Approximately one third of Africa's estimated cheetah resides in protected areas, with 87% in transboundary areas. Our study demonstrates the efficacy of detection dog survey methods in providing information on cheetah across large landscapes. It will have particular value in areas where other survey means may be impossible, such as TFCAs, where size, remoteness and lack of accessibility often make traditional survey methods difficult or cost prohibitive.

10. Russian Federation

By Decree no. 7 (5 January 2016), the year 2017 was declared the Year of Ecology (<http://www.pravo.gov.ru>). Under the implementing Plan of Major Actions in the Year of Ecology, which was approved by the Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology (Minpriroda; No. 1082-r on 2 June 2016; <http://www.pravo.gov.ru>), provision is made for setting up new, specially protected areas and expanding the territories of the existing ones. Within the year, twenty-four strict natural reserves (zapovednik) were set up (data published on 25 October 2017 <http://www.mnr.gov.ru>). Russia has been a party to the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat since 1977 and to the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage since 12 October 1998 (<http://www.ramsar.org>). In December, Minpriroda supported an initiative of the federal regions to come up with a proposal to designate three wetlands located in the Republic of Bashkortostan, Nenetsy Autonomous District, and Murmansk Region to be included into the List of Wetlands of International Importance (<http://www.mnr.gov.ru>). At the forty-first session of the Committee of World Heritage, which was held in Krakov, Poland, on 2–12 July, the transboundary area ‘Landscapes of Dauria,’ shared between Mongolia and the Russian Federation, was inscribed into World Heritage List (<http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/?&transboundary=1>). Russia’s part comprises a natural reserve, its protected zone, and a part of a sanctuary. In addition, the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Program, at its meeting on 12–15 June in Paris, inscribed three more Russian reserves into the Biosphere Reserves Network. A decision was also taken to extend the territories and change the names of twelve reserves inscribed into the list earlier (<http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves/europe-north-america/>).

The Trifinio Region: a case study of transboundary forest change in Central America

ABSTRACTStrategic planning to increase forest cover in Central American transboundary areas of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor requires understanding land-cover and land-use change trends and drivers. We estimated forest cover change from remotely sensed land-cover and land-use classifications from 1986, 2001, and 2010, in the tri-national Trifinio Region, bordering El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Our analysis spanned subnational, national, regional, and protected border areas. We determined correlations with direct drivers of deforestation, developing a multilevel linear regression model. Higher population density significantly correlated with deforestation; coffee, agroforestry, and pasture replaced forests. The tri-national park retained forests compared to neighboring areas, but additionality requires more research. The literature on drivers suggests similar processes and factors in other tropical regions. Forest cover governance efficacy is highly variable. Results indicate relationship between governance and forest cover though more comprehensive understanding of this complex region is needed to determine their causality.

Control of Pollutants in the Trans-Boundary Area of Taihu Basin, Yangtze Delta.

This work focuses on pollution control in the trans-boundary area of Taihu Basin. Considering the unique characteristics of the river network in the study area, a new methodology of pollution control is proposed aiming at improving the water quality in the trans-boundary area and reducing conflicts between up and downstream regions. Based on monitoring data and statistical analysis, important trans-boundary cross sections identified by the regional government were selected as important areas for consideration in developing management objectives; using a 1-D mathematicmodel and an effective weight evaluation model, the trans-boundary effective control scope (TECS) of the study area was identified as the scope for pollutant control; the acceptable pollution load was then estimated using an established model targeting bi-directional flow. The results suggest that the water environmental capacity for chemical oxygen demand (COD), in order to guarantee reaching the target water quality standard in the TECS, is 160,806 t/year, and amounts to 16,098 t/year, 3493 t/year, and 39,768 t/year for ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, respectively. Our study method and results have been incorporated into the local government management project, and have been proven to be useful in designing a pollution control strategy and management policy.

Runoff Modeling to Inform Policy Regarding Development of Green Infrastructure for Flood Risk Management and Groundwater Recharge Augmentation along an Urban Subcatchment, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

Changes in land use patterns at expanding border cities along the U.S.-Mexico transboundary area have severe impacts on runoff coefficients and flood risk management. Severe rain is the most representative type of precipitation in the Paso del Norte (PdN) region (New Mexico and Texas in the United States and Chihuahua in Mexico), characterized by high intensity, low duration, and high volumes of rain falling in localized, small areas. Rains generate flooding and damage to urban infrastructure, putting at risk people and properties along the arroyos, which lack hydraulic design to control overflowing. While using a Geographic Information System (GIS), we applied the Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) to model streamflow at the study site while building the hydrologic domain using ArcGIS with the Flow Area extension. Flood risk analysis was generated to evaluate potential sites for establishment of Green Infrastructure (GI) as a means of reducing risk and induce recharge to local aquifers. A hydrologic model was created using HEC-HMS under GIS tools and later using Flood Area® hydrologic software to evaluate flood risk analysis. For small-scale watersheds (< 10 km2) runoff can be greatly reduced by using and developing an urban hydrology approach. Furthermore, using GI and applying an urban hydrology approach can generate synergistic benefits by reducing flood risk, enhancing recharge to aquifer formations, weakening urban heat islands, improving habitat for regional species, and generating a common site for social interaction between neighbors. Binational agencies have adapted a new policy to address and promote the generation of such sites while academia, local government, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have taken up the challenge of promoting joint collaboration leading to local solutions to the ancient problem of flood risk.