Water as an Urban System:

Initial assumptions and evaluations were conducted and documented on the concept of Water as an Urban System and any and all ways that it was thought to apply.  What was then realized was the drastic influence that water has on all design concepts.  It is perhaps one of the most directly influential systems, especially in terms of physical geography/topography and sustainability.  The exercise began with a simple piece of trace paper, on which all aspects of water that were thought to apply were written (see above), the major categories being: Natural, Artificial/Mad-made, Physical States, Processes, Draingage/Geographical Control, Sources, Uses, Problems/Consequences, Genres, and Urban Impact. Next, diagramming began on 3 primary scales, from the basic water cycle to water infiltration (comparing proper vs unsuccessful methods) to a word mapping diagram that combines a transect study with water uses in order to determine the degrees of influence of water at all of the scales of an urban region.  It was found that although uses and methods tend to vary from specific transect to transect, a majority of the problems can be resolved by very similar solutions, thus alluding to the fact that a well thought re-design of certain aspects of water [use] could have a very drastic effect on all levels.  A more detailed analysis will now be conducted using mapping at several different scales of West Creek in order to figure how the surrounding regions are currently dealing with issues of water as an urban system, as well as how it can be altered for better, more sustainable and influential means.