Puerto Rico’s inland and coastal hydrologic systems are inherently interconnected, yet adaptation efforts remain fragmented. The absence of real-time, data-driven decision-making tools limits the ability to monitor stormwater dynamics, pollutant transport, sediment loads, and hydrologic responses to extreme weather. This study introduces the first Digital Twin framework for urban watersheds in Puerto Rico, integrating AI-powered analytics, hydrologic sensor networks, and geospatial modeling to enhance real-time monitoring, predictive modeling, and resilience planning.
At the core of this framework is the "Blue-Green Data Economy of the Future," a participatory incentive and compensation system where watershed residents actively implement, maintain, and monitor decentralized blue-green infrastructure across neighborhoods, community streetscapes, drainage networks, parks, forests, streams, rivers, waterways, and coastlines. Digital, app-driven platforms collect real-time reports and sensor data on water quantity, water quality, ecology, and community participation, continuously feeding into a cost-benefit analysis of the blue-green network. This system integrates public health metrics, urban heat island mitigation, economic productivity, real estate valuation, and education outcomes, demonstrating how ecological corridors and nature-based drainage networks enhance livability, climate resilience, and blue-zone creation.
The Urban Hydrologics Digital Twin model serves as a data-powered, integrated decision-making tool, enabling municipalities, planners, and communities to optimize ecosystem services, reduce flood risk, enhance water quality, improve air quality, and strengthen local economies. By linking environmental, social, and economic metrics, this framework transforms watershed-wide adaptation into a measurable, scalable model. This presentation examines the scientific, economic, and social dimensions of integrating urban hydrology, decentralized blue-green infrastructure, digital innovation, environmental stewardship, and grassroots engagement, positioning Puerto Rico as a global leader in watershed-wide adaptation for tropical cities.