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EFFECT OF URBANIZATION ON SUSTAINABILITY OF WATER RESOURCES IN THE POCONO CREEK WATERSHED
Citation:
KALIN, L. AND M. M. HANTUSH. EFFECT OF URBANIZATION ON SUSTAINABILITY OF WATER RESOURCES IN THE POCONO CREEK WATERSHED. Presented at American Institute of Hydrology, 2006 Annual Meeting International Conference, Baton Rouge, LA, May 21 - 24, 2006.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
Understanding the effects of population growth and urbanization on the hydrologic balance of the watershed is of paramount importance for sustainable water resources management. The 120 km2 Pocono Creek watershed in Eastern Pennsylvania that drains into one of the main tributaries of the Delaware River is threatened by high population growth. A calibrated and validated Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is employed to address the potential alterations in the hydrologic budget of the watershed as a result of increased imperviousness based on projected growth and land use changes. Simulations are performed for a period from 1/1/2005 to 12/31/2024 (20 years) with precipitation and climate data generated by SWAT's built in weather generator. Simulation results reveal that the effect of increased imperviousness due to projected urban developments is to decrease base flow by 30%. Average monthly median daily stream flow, which is a required input to a wild-trout habitat model, is estimated to decrease by 11% which may result in decline or potentially loss of brown trout population in the Pocono Creek. On the other hand, monthly peak flows on the average are estimated to increase by 18% as a result of projected increased imperviousness in the watershed. Potential consequences of anticipated hydrologic changes on water quality in the Pocono Creek and the health of the Delaware River Estuary are discussed.