Carrubba, L. The University of Georgia, email@example.com
Richardson, T. The University of Georgia,
MODELING THE EFFECTS OF SUBURBANIZATION ON A RURAL WATERSHED, MADISON COUNTY, GEORGIA
Landscape modeling is an attempt to use spatial data within a GIS in order to predict future landscape changes. The results of this fusion can be coupled with other questions in order to predict how human-induced changes in landscape pattern will affect, for instance, water quality.
The 1167 ha Vineyard Creek watershed located in Madison County, Georgia, was chosen for the development of a GIS database and land use change model in conjunction with an event-based water quality study. The watershed is beginning to experience development pressure, evidenced by the construction of a small subdivision and the growth of an area of modular and mobile homes. Growth is a reflection of the overall transition of the Georgia Piedmont from a predominantly rural area to a suburban landscape.
The incorporation of a distance class factor taken from property parcel data in the model resulted in accurate predictions of both the overall proportion of forested, residential, and agricultural land and the spatial pattern of these land uses in both nearest neighbor and random simulations. Using land use proportions given by the model and sediment and nutrient water quality data from forested, agricultural and residential subwatersheds of Vineyard Creek, future water quality changes can be predicted.
Day: Tuesday, Feb. 2
Time: 11:45 - 12:00pm
Location: Sweeney Center