RainOasis: A dynamic model to match seasonal water demand and supply to sustain urban green during future droughts (EngD)

Summary

As cities face more frequent droughts and heatwaves, sustaining urban green spaces has become essential for ensuring liveability and climate resilience. However, maintaining vegetation under these changing conditions often depends on scarce freshwater resources. To address this growing challenge, the RainOasis project develops an integrated framework that links urban green water demand with locally collected rainwater. The research responds to Amsterdam’s need to better understand irrigation requirements under current and future climates. The RAIN framework identifies opportunities for nature-based rainwater storage and reuse. Complementing this, the OASIS model simulates soil moisture and evapotranspiration to quantify water demand across vegetation and soil types, distinguishing between survival and optimal ecosystem performance thresholds. Together, they create a circular irrigation approach (RAINOASIS) that stores rain during wet periods and uses it in dry spells. Tested in Amsterdam’s Watergraafsmeer district, RainOasis provides actionable insights for cities to plan adaptive, water-efficient, and resilient urban green systems.