Spatial Conservation Planning for Regional Water Security: Integrating Perspectives of Resource, Environment, and Disaster

Spatial conservation planning for water security can fill the gaps left by current planning practices. However, the fundamental concept and index system of water security patterns have not yet received sufficient attention. Through a comparative analysis of water security concepts from multidisciplinary perspectives, we defined water security patterns as the spatial distribution of landscapes that could guarantee regional water security goals. We proposed a framework of regional integrated water security pattern of “resource supply—environmental protection—disaster prevention”, then applied this framework to Shenzhen City, China. The results showed 7.13 million people (40.73% of Shenzhen's population) lived within the water disaster prevention pattern. The overlapped area of security patterns of water resource, environment, and disaster only accounted for 14.99% of the study area, highlighting significantly spatial mismatches. Objective water security zoning required targeted spatial conservation management. The integrated water security pattern showed the largest distribution areas in the Bao'an and Longgang Districts. Moreover, Shenzhen's water security pattern matched well with urban blue line (88.57%) and basic ecological control line (69.45%), which was a supplement to the local existing spatial conservation planning. The proposed framework is applicable to low‐lying and humid regions, offering a systematic approach to constructing water security patterns from theory to practice. This study provides valuable insights for water‐related spatial conservation planning, contributing to a more resilient and sustainable urban water security strategy.