Nature-Based Water Management Approaches in Arid and Semi-Arid Climates from a Landscape Architecture Perspective

ARCHITECTURAL SCIENCES AND SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES: URBAN RESILIENCE Editors Prof. Dr. Ömer ATABEYOĞLU Prof. Dr. Ertan DÜZGÜNEŞ October 15, 2025 Copyright © 2025 by İKSAD publishing house All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Institution of Economic Development and Social Researches (The Licence Number of Publicator: 2014/31220) TÜRKİYE TR: +90 342 606 06 75 USA: +1 631 685 0 853 E mail: [email protected] www.iksadyayinevi.com It is responsibility of the author to abide by the publishing ethics rules. Iksad Publications – 2025© Architectural Sciences and Sustainable Approaches: Urban Resilience ISBN: 978-625-378-337-2 Cover Design: Prof. Dr. Ertan DÜZGÜNEŞ October 15, 2025 Ankara / Türkiye Size = 16x24 cm PREFACE Dear Professors and Colleagues, We are pleased bring to life that Architectural Sciences and Sustainable Approaches: Urban Resilience, which was published as an e-book by IKSAD Publishing House with the editors Prof. Dr. Ömer ATABEYOĞLU and Prof. Dr. Ertan DÜZGÜNEŞ. This book project, entitled “Architectural Sciences and Sustainable Approaches: Urban Resilience,” aims to address sustainability-oriented approaches to urban resilience from theoretical, methodological, and practical perspectives. The volume seeks to establish a multi-layered platform of discussion, ranging from the scale of individual buildings to the entirety of the urban fabric. Within this framework, it welcomes contributions from scholars and researchers working in architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, urban and regional planning, environmental engineering, and related disciplines. With the valuable contributions of our chapter authors working in the professional disciplines of landscape architecture, architecture, city and regional planning, urban design and sustainability, we have completed Architectural Sciences and Sustainable Approaches: Urban Resilience book study has been completed with 24 book chapters. We would like to thank you, our esteemed authors, for their contributions to the preparation of the book. We would also like to thank the editorial board and IKSAD Publishing House. We wish to continue this process we have started in the coming years. In addition, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to Prof. Dr. Atila GÜL, the book coordinator of IKSAD Publishing House, for his guidance and support throughout the publication process. We hope that our book ‘Architectural Sciences and Sustainable Approaches: Urban Resilience’ will be helpful to the readers. Best regards. 15.10.2025 EDITORS Prof. Dr. Ömer ATABEYOĞLU Prof. Dr. Ertan DÜZGÜNEŞ EDITORS Prof. Dr. Ömer ATABEYOĞLU Prof. Dr. Ertan DÜZGÜNEŞ AUTHORS The authors were listed in alphabetical order Alper ÇABUK Ayça GÜLTEN Ayşe ÖZYETGİN ALTUN Ayşe Özge ŞİMŞEK SOYSAL Ayşegül TANRIVERDİ KAYA Demet EROL Deniz DEMİRARSLAN Ebru Vesile ÖCALIR Eda ŞENTÜRK Elif Kübra ÖZTÜRK Emine BAYDAN Esra KESKİN Feran AŞUR Feyza Sena ŞENOCAK Filiz KARAKUŞ Furkan AKDEMİR Gencay ÇUBUK Gülşah BİLGE ÖZTÜRK Halil DUYMUŞ Hamza ALTAŞ Hande AKARCA İnci OLGUN Kemal Mert ÇUBUKÇU Kumru ÇILGIN Mehmet Akif IRMAK Mehmet Emin DAŞ Mehtap ÖZENEN KAVLAK Merve ALICI AKA Mesut GÜZEL Muhammed Akif AÇIKGÖZ Muhammed Emir GÖRAL Murat YEŞİL Olcay Türkan YURDUGÜZEL Özge DÜZGÜN EREKİNCİ Pervin YEŞİL Rabia Nurefsan ACIKGOZ Sedef ŞENDOĞDU Seher Simay KUŞOĞLU Serim DİNÇ Sevilay YILDIZ Sinem SEYHAN Şevval ERGİNDOĞAN Şuheda ALTUNOK Temuçin Göktürk SEYHAN Tuba Nur OLĞUN Tuna BATUHAN Ufuk Teoman AKSOY Yusuf Eminoğlu REVIEWER LIST The authors were listed in alphabetical order Aslıhan TIRNAKÇI Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University Atila GÜL Süleyman Demirel University Ayşe Kalaycı ÖNAÇ İzmir Katip Çelebi University Bige ŞİMŞEK İLHAN İstanbul Medipol University Burcu YILMAZEL Eskişehir Technical University Eda KOÇAK Siirt University Ekrem BAHADIR Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Elif KUTAY KARAÇOR İstanbul Technical University Hakan ARSLAN Ondokuz Mayıs University Hilal TURGUT Karadeniz Technical University Meliha AKLIBAŞINDA Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University Murat AKTEN Süleyman Demirel University Nihan Sümeyye GÜNDOĞDU Atlas University Okan Murat DEDE Amasya University Ömer Lütfü ÇORBACI Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Selcen Nur Erikci Çelik Beykoz University Sibel AKTEN Isparta Unıversıty Of Applıed Scıences Sinem ÖZDEDE Pamukkale University Şeyma ŞENGÜR Ordu University Turgut KALAY Kütahya Dumlupınar University Tendü Hilal GÖKTUĞ Aydın Adnan Menderes University 737 1. Introduction Arid and semiarid climates are ecosystems where water resources are limited, evaporation rates are high, and food chains are fragile. In these climate types, water management is not only a technical issue but also a social, cultural, and ecological imperative, touching every aspect of life and influencing design (Abd El Aziz, 2016). Water-Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), particularly in urban landscapes, is being developed to alleviate water scarcity and strengthen ecosystem services through water recovery, retention, purification, and distribution (Schulze et al., 2024). The WSUD approach encompasses multilayered strategies such as rainwater harvesting, biological filters, permeable surfaces, and groundwater recharge applications. These strategies aim to restore the natural water cycle and minimize negative hydrological impacts (ClimateAdapt, 2023). For example, a study by ElAziz (2016) in Naser City, Egypt, found that water-saving lands using WSUD techniques reduced water consumption by up to 50% by reducing the use of high-quality water for irrigation. Similarly, unique groundwater modeling in the Cape Flats region of South Africa demonstrated the positive impact of WSUD on groundwater regimes (Gxokwe et al., 2020). These approaches, which should not be limited to engineering-based solutions, offer holistic management in arid climates through nature-based solutions (NbS), ecosystem restoration, water harvesting, land cover modifications such as mulching, and biodiversity-supported design components. Systematic reviews have shown that NBS implementations in arid regions of Africa have achieved significant biophysical and socioeconomic success rates of over 50% (Okello et al., 2024). WSUD is highly important for landscape 738 architecture because it provides a framework for integrating a region's characteristics, such as the water cycle, energy systems, natural ecology, aesthetics, and sustainable use of materials, into the urban fabric to ensure a more livable and healthy environment (Donofrio et al., 2009). Landscapes created in accordance with WSUD principles reduce the urban heat island effect, support ecological diversity, and provide resilience to local communities in accessing water. For example, the Parramatta Road project in Sydney reduced 70% of rainfall by diverting runoff through bioretention pits (a low-impact development technique designed to manage and treat surface runoff), permeable pavements, and rainwater storage systems (UrbanDesignLab, 2024). This book chapter will examine the theoretical foundations of WSUD and NbS approaches within the context of nature-based water management in arid and semi-arid climates, as well as examples of past (traditional systems) and current applications. The aim is to define the theoretical framework for the contributions of landscape architecture to water management and to demonstrate the potential of this concept. As the chapter progresses, a sustainable and adaptive water management paradigm will be proposed, both from an ecological, social, and technical perspective. 1.1. Theoretical Framework In arid and semiarid climates, pressure on water resources leads not only to water scarcity but also to soil degradation and a decline in ecosystem services (Okello et al., 2024). In this regard, nature-based solutions (NbS), which offer a complementary and ecological integration with landscape ecology, aim to manage water using ecosystem processes, control erosion, 739 improve soil structure, regulate microclimates, and utilize ecosystem services to retain, purify, and cyclically use water. Jin et al. (2018) reported that ecological restoration projects significantly improve soil moisture, while natural regeneration and vegetation recovery have the same effect. This resulted in a significant increase in water retention capacity, and the reduction in irrigation requirements significantly contributed to hydrological stability in arid areas. In their study, He et al. (2022) suggested that developments are not a sustainable way to improve the ecology of arid and semi-arid areas because they put nearly two-thirds (63.2%) of the regions at risk of vegetation degradation. Instead, they suggested that a mixed model would be more effective in improving the ecology of arid and semi-arid areas, where only 15-25% of the land is divided into narrow forest strips and the remaining 75-85% is restored to local natural vegetation. Nature-based solutions should address not only technical but also social, cultural, and economic dimensions. This multidimensional approach directly contributes to the planning, design, and implementation processes of landscape architecture (Eggermont et al., 2015). Therefore, biophysical indicators, user behavior, and the local ecological context should be considered together when designing NbS systems. In conclusion, NbS is a powerful tool for improving the sustainability of water management, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. However, the success of these systems depends on comprehensive monitoring mechanisms, local participation, economic analysis, and institutional support structures. 740 1.1.2. Water-Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) Water-sensitive urban design (WSUD) is a holistic planning approach that aims to mimic the natural water cycle in cities and to manage resources such as rainwater, greywater, and groundwater sustainably (Lloyd et al., 2002). WSUD encompasses both structural solutions (e.g., permeable surfaces, rain gardens, green roofs) and non-structural components such as governance, public awareness, and participation. The fundamental principles of WSUD are protecting water resources, reducing flood risks, retaining and purifying rainwater, integrating water into urban landscapes, and encouraging community participation (Wong, 2006). Systems implemented in line with these principles include biofiltration systems (bio-retention), wetlands, water collection tanks, and permeable soil systems. WSUD systems improve rainwater quality while also reducing flood risks (Fletcher et al., 2015). Lloyd et al. (2002) also provided mechanical treatment by retaining up to 60% of the solid waste load in rainwater runoff. WSUD, which helps balance the hydrological regime of cities, controls surface runoff through bioretention systems and permeable surfaces while also supporting groundwater recharge (Fletcher et al., 2013). According to Payne et al. (2015), these systems ensure the retention of pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus in water to a large extent, while WaterSensitive Urban Design not only provides environmental benefits (better water quality, increased green areas, improved microclimate, etc.) but is also a highly profitable investment financially. In addition, WSUD applications increase urban biodiversity, have high potential for creating 741 green roofs, wetlands, and microhabitats for living things, and public spaces intertwined with nature also contribute positively to human health. The success of WSUD depends on the effectiveness of social processes as well as technical solutions. Community participation in the process ensures the development of solutions supported by local knowledge (Brown et al., 2009). Therefore, in terms of governance, collaboration between local and regional institutions, as well as strategic and legal planning, are essential for WSUD to be sustainable (Furlong et al., 2016). Although WSUD offers many benefits, implementation faces several obstacles. Chief among these are high investment costs, a lack of institutional coordination, insufficient public awareness, and maintenance issues. Furthermore, Vasconcelos et al. (2022) identified the main obstacles in their study as a lack of design and maintenance standards, a lack of long-term planning, a lack of dissemination and information, a lack of incentives, and a reluctance to change. In summary, WSUD is a holistic approach that addresses not only water management but also healthy urbanization processes, social equity, and ecosystem protection. In arid and semiarid regions, WSUD systems ensure both water conservation and the habitability of urban areas. 1.1.3. WSUD and NbS Interaction Water-Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) and Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) are two increasingly intertwined conceptual and practical approaches in contemporary urban water management. WSUD integrates urban stormwater management with aesthetic, functional, and environmental objectives, while NbS enables the design of these systems through nature-inspired processes. 742 Both approaches are closely related to international systems such as lowimpact development (LID) and sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) (Fletcher et al., 2015). The difference between the two is that WSUD focuses more on design and urban planning, while NbS is a broader concept focused on producing ecosystem services and increasing climate resilience. The components of WSUD, such as biofiltration systems, permeable soils, and wetlands, also fall under the NbS classification. The two approaches are largely incompatible in practice. For example, a rain garden serves both rainfall management functions within the WSUD framework and facilitates water-ecosystem interaction within the NbS framework. Brown et al. (2013) argue that the integration of WSUD and NbS enhances social benefits, participation, and aesthetic quality, particularly in urban transformation projects. This combined approach increases infrastructure resilience and makes cities more resilient to climate-related risks. Shuster et al. (2021) argue that hybrid projects increase biophysical efficiency, raise public awareness, and facilitate ownership by local governments, while emphasizing the success of community-supported rainwater management systems, particularly in local-scale implementations. NbS tends to align with customary law and traditional/local knowledge, which may be traditionally important. Many projects also incorporate traditional rainwater collection systems to provide freshwater. A UN report emphasizes that WSUD/NbS systems provide higher social and environmental returns at lower costs than traditional “grey infrastructure” 743 models, but that sustainability requires concurrent planning of monitoring, maintenance, and governance systems (WWAP, 2018). Consequently, the complementary nature of WSUD and NbS allows cities to consider water not only as a technical resource but also as an ecological asset and social value. Landscape architecture, as one of the disciplines that combines these two approaches, has the potential to realize the spatial configuration of systems and the multi-layered benefit generation at the design level. 1.1.4. Landscape Ecology and Design Perspective Landscape ecology stands out as the discipline that examines how spatial arrangements in water management can be made functional and ecologically meaningful (Forman, 1995). In this respect, landscape design not only creates visual aesthetics but also provides an environmental design that integrates hydraulic behavior, ecosystem processes, and habitat continuity. For example, supporting water-carrying corridors with natural vegetation can both control water flow and support biodiversity. With this approach, which considers interactions at different levels from the field scale to the regional basin, designers can develop multi-layered water management strategies, from wetlands to irrigation systems such as microstrip systems, and from rooftop landscapes to river corridors. Landscape design aims to plan both the production and distribution of ecosystem services (Qiu et al., 2025); thus, services such as water regulation, carbon storage, soil conservation, biodiversity, and recreation are systematically designed. Particularly in arid/semiarid climates, landscape ecology provides spatial, ecological, social, and adaptive frameworks for water-centric designs, enabling the effective use of NbS 744 and WSUD in practice, as every design element, from plant species selection to wetland microhabitats, influences water and ecosystem responses. Designers can create sustainable cities through landscape designs that consciously plan for ecosystem services, maintain spatial continuity, and offer solutions that adapt to climate risk and change. 2. Material and Method This study is a compilation based on a literature review. The study material consists of open-access articles, theses, reports, and books published on water management, climate change, rainwater harvesting, and sustainable landscape practices. Literature selection was made through national and international databases (Google Scholar, DergiPark, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect), with particular emphasis on publications from the post2000 era. As part of the method, the obtained resources were classified under thematic headings and a comparative analysis approach was employed. The reviewed studies were interpreted within the framework of water management strategies, rainwater management practices, nature-based solutions, and a landscape architecture perspective. This method synthesized existing knowledge and revealed similarities and differences between different approaches. No experimental measurements or field applications were conducted in the study; all findings were obtained from data in the literature. Thus, the study aims to provide a theoretical framework and guiding basis for future applied research. 745 3. Findings and Discussion 3.1. Arid and Semi-Arid Landscape Typologies Arid and semiarid areas, defined as areas where evaporation exceeds precipitation, cover more than one-third of the Earth's surface, approximately 41% (Gaur & Squires, 2017). According to the Koppen– Geiger classification, arid and semiarid areas are designated by the codes “BWh,” “BWk,” “BSh,” and “BSk” (Table 1) (Kottek et al., 2006), while the “aridity index” is also widely used in the literature (Arora, 2002). This indicator defines the amount of precipitation corresponding to plant water needs. Table 1. Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification (Kottek et al., 2006). Type Description Criterion A Equatorial climates T min ≥+18 ◦ C Af Equatorial rainforest, fully humid P min ≥60 mm Am Equatorial monsoon Pann≥25 (100−P min ) As Equatorial savannah with dry summer Pmin<60 mm in summer Aw Equatorial savannah with dry winter Pmin<60 mm in winter B Arid climates Pann<10 Pth BS Steppe climate Pann>5 Pth BW Desert climate Pann ≤ 5 Pth C Warm temperate climates −3 ◦ C<T min <+18 ◦ C Cs Warm temperate climate with dry summer Psmin<Pwmin, Pwmax>3 Psmin and Psmin<40 mm Cw Warm temperate climate with dry winter Pwmin<Psmin and Psmax>10 Pwmin 746 Cf Warm temperate climate, fully humid neither Cs nor Cw D Snow climates T min ≤−3 ◦ C Ds Snow climate with dry summer Psmin<Pwmin, Pwmax>3 Psmin and Psmin<40 mm Dw Snow climate with dry winter Pwmin<Psmin and Psmax>10 Pwmin Df Snow climate, fully humid neither Ds nor Dw E Polar climates T max <+10 ◦ C ET Tundra climate 0 ◦ C≤T max <+10 ◦ C EF Frost climate T max <0 ◦ C Typically, areas with annual rainfall below 200 mm are defined as drylands (Figure 1) (Wang et al., 2023). Seasonal irregularities lead to long dry periods. These conditions are not only related to climate but also shaped by hydrological regimes, soil structure, vegetation cycles, and anthropogenic influences, resulting from both natural and cultural processes. 753 effects can reduce temperatures as much as 7°C in environments with temperatures above 45°C. Oases stand out with their ability to increase human comfort and reduce energy consumption (Potchter et al., 2012). The urban heat island effect can be reduced by the combined use of permeable soils and green infrastructure; thus, living and ecosystem conditions can be improved. 3.4. Sample Projects/Case Studies 3.4.1. Arizona State University (ASU) Tempe Campus-Xeriscaping Ünal Çilek (2023) reported that xeriscaping applications at the Arizona State University Tempe Campus could reduce water use by 85% by switching from turf to arid climate plantings. Research has shown that even scenarios that replace turf with xeriscaping up to 100% of the turf achieved significant water savings. This study serves as a strong case for green infrastructure transformations at public universities. 3.4.2. Ku-ring-gai Raingarden, NSW, Avustralia The WSUD project achieved an annual suspended solids retention of 75 kg at the Ku-ring-gai Municipality's raingarden biofilter facility at Kooloona Crescent in New South Wales, Australia (Zaman, 2025). This project demonstrates the significant impact of small-scale landscape elements on water quality and is a vivid example of how WSUD components can also reduce physical pollution. 3.4.3. Lynbrook Estate, Victoria-WSUD Integration The Lynbrook Estate project, supported by Melbourne Water, effectively managed stormwater runoff with stormwater routes, underground gravel drains and wetland systems (Wong, 2002). The project won awards for 754 achieving below guideline suspended solids levels (Greenway, 2004) and provides a valuable model for WSUD in large-scale communities. 3.4.4. Lakewood, Colorado-Raingarden Seven years of field observations showed that rain gardens maintained soil moisture 28.3% higher than control sites, 23% higher than control sites (Kauffman & Stropki 2022). In this project, rain gardens supported groundwater recharge by creating moist micro-catchments integrated into the topography on rainy days. 3.4.5. Western AustraliaGreen Infrastructure Projects Across the city of Perth and its surrounding areas, bioretention pits, green walls, and wetlands have combined water management, biodiversity, urban heat reduction, and social benefits at sites such as Carina Loop, Swansea Park, and King Square (New Water Ways, 2025). These projects have demonstrated similar ecological and socio-cultural impacts of integrated WSUD/NbS strategies. 4. Discussion While nature-based solutions (NbS) theoretically offer multiple ecological, social, and economic benefits, in practice they remain fragmented and unsystematic (Fu, 2023). This limits the full integration of NbS strategies into holistic water management practices, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. While WSUD applications provide a detailed understanding of the cityscale water cycle, their effectiveness can be diminished when contextual factors (climate, local culture, socio-economic structure) are inadequately considered. For example, in applications in Darmstadt, WSUD models 755 have been reported to be somewhat monotonous and context-specific parameters overlooked (Schulze et al., 2024). Another challenge faced by traditional NbS/WSUD applications is their focus on existing urban infrastructure and short-term engineering. Adaptation to existing city structures is, in almost all cases, costly and difficult to plan, limiting the widespread adoption of innovative water management tools. The success of NbS implementations in arid and semiarid regions often depends on socio-cultural acceptance and community participation (Cohen Shacham et al., 2016). Local people's knowledge and values increase their participation in restoration and maintenance processes, strengthening both ecological and social sustainability. Furthermore, NbS projects, which theoretically target water security and climate adaptation, need clear and standardized indicators to monitor their performance in practice (Fu, 2023). These indicators should include multidimensional monitoring tools such as water quality, soil moisture, groundwater recharge, and community satisfaction. In scenario analyses conducted in arid cities like Phoenix, Arizona, NbS planning was supported by GIS-based assessments, but regulatory, financing, and maintenance gaps persist during the implementation phase. These shortcomings hinder the scaling of innovative landscape infrastructures. In summary, while NbS and WSUD approaches offer technically robust models, they are not yet operating to their full potential due to a lack of context-sensitive planning, community participation, monitoring and maintenance systems, standardized indicators, and institutional support. In 756 this context, future research and practice should develop a holistic water management paradigm by targeting these missing areas. 5. Conclusion and Suggestions Water management in arid and semiarid climates has become a multifaceted planning challenge where climatic water deficit, high evaporation, land degradation, and accelerating urbanization pressures intersect. Water is not merely a technical infrastructure input; it is a constitutive landscape component that collectively shapes ecological processes, cultural practices, social justice, and spatial design decisions. As explored in the book chapter, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) offer the potential to leverage ecosystem processes to retain, purify, reuse, and strengthen water services. The positive effects of long-term vegetation rehabilitation and natural regeneration on soil moisture, water holding capacity, and hydrological stability should form the basis of dryland restoration strategies. Nonbiophysical NbS practices alone need to be planned with social acceptance, economic viability, and institutional governance in mind. Water-Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is a comprehensive planning approach that aims to rebalance the water cycle by integrating rainwater, greywater, and groundwater flows into the urban fabric. WSUD components, such as bioretention systems, permeable surfaces, storage tanks, and wetlands, both reduce surface runoff and mitigate flood risk. In arid and semiarid areas, WSUD applications protect receiving water bodies by retaining a significant portion of rainwater-derived solids and nutrient loads. Combinations of permeable surfaces and biofiltration are 757 considered effective methods for balancing urban hydrological regimes and supporting groundwater recharge. The spatial planning and technical design framework of WSUD, when combined with the ecosystem-based processes of NbS, is highly capable of producing multifunctional, low-carbon, and climate-resilient waterscapes. The literature has demonstrated that hybrid WSUD/NbS practices not only enhance biophysical performance but also enhance public awareness, local government ownership, and user-based maintenance processes. Integrated green-blue infrastructure programs have the potential to deliver higher social-environmental returns at lower lifecycle costs than gray infrastructure. Landscape ecology, which analyzes spatial pattern-process relationships related to water management, makes visible the effects of design decisions on ecological resilience, habitat continuity and hydraulic behavior, and monitoring water-focused landscape strategies developed at different scales (parcel, neighborhood, basin) through ecosystem service production, carbon storage and recreational values provides data for adaptive management of the design. Since the relationship between topography, drainage patterns, soil properties and plant function types directly determines water retention and diversion designs in arid landscapes, spatial analysis has become indispensable for landscape architects, which has been influential in the formation of traditional water management systems. Historical water collection-transmission systems such as qanat, puquios, and mamanteos offer powerful prototypes for contemporary NbS/WSUD applications, with their low energy requirements, gravity-driven 758 transmission, reduced evaporative losses, and community-based maintenance models. Adapting these traditional infrastructures to current conditions has the potential to support both the preservation of cultural landscape heritage and the development of cost-effective water security strategies adapted to climate change. Considering their various strategies, rain gardens offer scalable water management modules in arid regions by reducing rainfall volume, filtering pollutant loads, and supporting groundwater recharge. Bioretention systems have demonstrated high performance in reducing peak runoff and increasing storage capacity based on monitoring of actual rainfall events. Permeable soils not only allow water infiltration, reducing both flooding and the urban heat island effect, but also can retain a significant portion of suspended matter and pollutants. Green roofs store rainwater, reducing irrigation water demand, improving thermal comfort within the building envelope, and ensuring the sustainability of urban green networks. Xeriscaping is a low-maintenance approach that provides significant water savings through the use of native xeriscaping plants and limited irrigation. In applications using natural and artificial materials, water-focused landscape structures supported by vegetation can create an "oasis effect" in arid climates, reducing environmental temperatures and improving human thermal comfort. Combinations of surface materials, permeable soils, and vegetative shading supported by artificial materials strengthen water-surface-climate interactions in urban cooling strategies. Scaling up WSUD and NbS implementations requires coordination between local governments, regulatory incentives, standard designmaintenance protocols, and long-term financing tools. Because the 759 functionality of water-sensitive landscape infrastructures can decline over time without community participation and stakeholder-based maintenance programs, coordinating social processes with design is essential. Future studies should develop standardized indicators to assess the longterm performance of WSUD and NbS combinations in arid climates. Datasets such as water quality, soil moisture, groundwater recharge, and user satisfaction should be monitored together. These datasets can be used to develop typology-based waterscape guidelines tailored to different topographic and socioeconomic contexts, using monitoring-learningimplementation models based on adaptive design cycles. The results can be summarized as follows: water scarcity and climate pressures have necessitated integrated landscape-based water management. NbS and WSUD, when used together, are high-potential practices that can provide multi-layered ecological and social benefits. In this sense, traditional systems will serve as a model for contemporary design. Performance monitoring is essential; water, soil, climate, and user data must be integrated. 760 Acknowledgements and Information Note The article complies with national and international research and publication ethics. Ethics Committee approval was not required for the study. Author Contribution and Conflict of Interest Declaration Information All authors contributed equally to the article. There is no conflict of interest. 761 References Abd El Aziz, N. A. (2016). Water sensitive landscape case study: Public open green spaces in Naser City, Egypt. Journal of Landscape Ecology, 9(3), 2016. 66-83. Alchapar, N. L. & Correa, E. N. (2016). 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