Spatial Analysis of a Chesapeake Bay Sub-Watershed: How Land Use and Precipitation Patterns Impact Water Quality in the James River

Changes in land cover throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed, accompanied by variability in climate patterns, can impact runoff and water quality. A study was conducted using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for the James River watershed in Virginia, the southernmost tributary of the Chesa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water (Basel) 2021-06, Vol.13 (11), p.1592
Main Authors: Delia, Kristina A., Haney, Christa R., Dyer, Jamie L., Paul, Varun G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Forecasts and trends
Geographic information systems
Hydrologic models
Hydrology
Indicators
Land cover
Land use
Phosphorus
Precipitation
Quality control
Remote sensing
Residential development
Rivers
Runoff
Satellite imagery
Sediments (Geology)
Soil water
Spatial analysis
Statistical analysis
Suburban areas
Texas
Urbanization
Virginia
Water conservation
Water quality
Watersheds
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Summary:Changes in land cover throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed, accompanied by variability in climate patterns, can impact runoff and water quality. A study was conducted using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for the James River watershed in Virginia, the southernmost tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, from 1986 to 2018, in order to evaluate factors that affect water quality in the river. This research focuses on statistical analysis of land use, precipitation, and water quality indicators. Land cover changes derived from satellite imagery and geographic information system (GIS) tools were compared with water quality parameters throughout that timeframe. Marked decreases in forest land cover were observed throughout the watershed, as well as increased residential development. Our findings suggest strong links between land cover modification, such as residential development, and degraded water quality indicators such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment. In addition, we note direct improvements in water quality when forest land areas are preserved throughout the watershed.
ISSN:2073-4441
2073-4441
DOI:10.3390/w13111592