Citation:

KALIN, L. AND M. M. HANTUSH. EFFECT OF URBANIZATION ON SUSTAINABILITY OF WATER RESOURCES IN THE POCONO CREEK WATERSHED. Chapter 5, Vijay P. Singh, Y. Jun Xu (ed.), Coastal Hydrology and Processes. Water Resources Publications, LLC (Wrpllc), Highlands Ranch, CO, , 59-70, (2006).

Impact/Purpose:

To employ a calibrated and validated Soil Water Assessment Tool to assess the potential variations in the hydrologic budget of the Pocono Creek watershed as a result of projected land use changes, especially increased imperviousness.

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 and rapid urbanization. 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 31%. Average monthly median daily stream flow, which is a required input to a wild-trout habitat model, is estimated to decrease by 10%. On the average, the computed 7Q10 is expected to decrease by 21% 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.

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