Water sensitive spatial planning in terms of sustainable stormwater management: The case of Bornova Stream Catchment (Izmir), Turkey

Sustainable stormwater management in developing countries requires more research, and budget compared to developed countries. Runoff measurement in small urban watersheds is often not carried out; city plans are made without much consideration of the effect of runoff. In this study, the effect of land use decisions on the surface runoff was assessed using land use change scenarios in an urban catchment located in Izmir, Turkey. Answers to the following two questions were sought: (1) how the runoff will be affected if the city plan decisions currently in use are implemented and (2) whether it is possible to control the runoff in an urban catchment by developing rational, sustainable planning suggestions based on water. The main novelty of this study is to show the importance of the maquis cover, as well as the permeability of the built-up environment and the existence of open spaces in lower catchments are vital in meeting the runoff.