Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: A Watershed Classification System for Improved Monitoring and Restoration: Landscape Indicators of Watershed Impairment
EPA Grant Number: R831369Title: A Watershed Classification System for Improved Monitoring and Restoration: Landscape Indicators of Watershed Impairment
Investigators: Prince, Stephen D. , Weller, Donald E. , Jordan, Thomas E. , Goetz, Scott J.
Institution: University of Maryland - College Park , Woods Hole Research Center , Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Current Institution: University of Maryland - College Park , Smithsonian Environmental Research Center , Woods Hole Research Center
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: February 1, 2004 through January 31, 2007
Project Amount: $896,497
RFA: Development of Watershed Classification Systems for Diagnosis of Biological Impairment in Watersheds and Their Receiving Water Bodies (2003) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Watersheds , Water
Objective:
To develop a watershed classification scheme based on recent, much improved, comprehensive watershed data sets to diagnose aquatic ecosystem impairment and to target resource management. To use hydrologic metrics, nutrient budgets incorporating point and non-point source/sinks, and landscape function metrics to provide indicators of aquatic ecosystem condition (hydrology, plant, fish, macroinvertebrates, water quality) in reference watersheds. To identify the watershed variables most relevant to prediction of impairment of the receiving water bodies by developing a set of empirical classification models for multiple scales. To develop classifications for mid-Atlantic training watersheds, test them in the mid-Atlantic, apply the entire methodology in southern New England (MA, RI, CT), and to generalize the methods for future national application.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Conclusions:
This research has established a set of landscape and land cover properties that can predict stream health for subcatchments of the Chesapeake Bay and in a simpler application to southern New England and the upper Delaware River. While land use and impervious cover were the best indicators, landcover configuration, as quantified by landscape metrics, was found to be a significant factor in nitrogen and phosphorus discharges, biological indices, and hydrological parameters. Each of these relationships was investigated at different levels of detail, using detailed field measurements of watershed nutrient budgets and water quality, and land cover types as proportions of catchments. Classification schemes were demonstrated that can predict the condition of streams based on their watershed characteristics. These models are at different levels of detail, from complete nutrient budgets, through simple biotic indices and land cover to the generalized USGS SPARROW model. In all cases, potential applications to watershed classification were noted.
Journal Articles on this Report : 14 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other project views: | All 70 publications | 19 publications in selected types | All 15 journal articles |
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Baker ME, Weller DE, Jordan TE. Improved methods for quantifying potential nutrient interception by riparian buffers. Landscape Ecology 2006;21(8):1327-1345. |
R831369 (Final) R828684 (Final) |
Exit |
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Baker ME, Weller DE, Jordan TE. Effects of stream map resolution on measures of riparian buffer distribution and nutrient retention potential. Landscape Ecology 2007;22(7):973-992. |
R831369 (2006) R831369 (Final) R828684 (Final) |
Exit |
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Goetz S, Fiske G. Linking the diversity and abundance of stream biota to landscapes in the mid-Atlantic USA. Remote Sensing of Environment 2008;112(11):4075-4085. |
R831369 (Final) R828684 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Goetz SJ. Remote sensing of riparian buffers: past progress and future prospects. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 2006;42(1):133-143. |
R831369 (2006) R831369 (Final) R828684 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Goetz SJ, Gardiner N, Viers JH. Monitoring freshwater, estuarine and near-shore benthic ecosystems with multi-sensor remote sensing:an introduction to the special issue. Remote Sensing of Environment 2008;112(11):3993-3995. |
R831369 (Final) |
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Jantz CA, Goetz SJ. Can smart growth save the Chesapeake Bay? Journal of Green Building 2007;2(3):41-51. |
R831369 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Lang MW, Kasischke ES, Prince SD, Pittman KW. Assessment of C-band synthetic aperture radar for mapping and monitoring Coastal Plain forested wetlands in the Mid-Atlantic Region, U.S.A. Remote Sensing of Environment 2008;112(11):4120-4130. |
R831369 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Maloney KO, Weller DE, Russell MJ, Hothorn T. Classifying the biological condition of small streams: an example using benthic macroinvertebrates. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 2009;28(4):869-884. |
R831369 (Final) |
Exit |
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Maloney KO, Munguia P, Mitchell RM. Anthropogenic disturbance and landscape patterns affect diversity patterns of aquatic benthic macroinvertebrates. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 2011;30(1):284-295. |
R831369 (Final) |
Exit |
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Nielsen EM, Prince SD, Koeln GT. Wetland change mapping for the U.S. mid-Atlantic region using an outlier detection technique. Remote Sensing of Environment 2008;112(11):4061-4074. |
R831369 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Roberts AD, Prince SD, Jantz CA, Goetz SJ. Effects of projected future urban land cover on nitrogen and phosphorus runoff to Chesapeake Bay. Ecological Engineering 2009;35(12):1758-1772. |
R831369 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Roberts AD, Prince SD. Effects of urban and non-urban land cover on nitrogen and phosphorus runoff to Chesapeake Bay. Ecological Indicators 2010;10(2):459-474. |
R831369 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Russell MJ, Weller DE, Jordan TE, Sigwart KJ, Sullivan KJ. Net anthropogenic phosphorus inputs:spatial and temporal variability in the Chesapeake Bay region. Biogeochemistry 2008;88(3):285-304. |
R831369 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Snyder MN, Goetz SJ, Wright RK. Stream health rankings predicted by satellite derived land cover metrics. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 2005;41(3):659-677. |
R831369 (2005) R831369 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
Supplemental Keywords:
RFA, Scientific Discipline, Water, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Hydrology, Water & Watershed, Monitoring/Modeling, Environmental Monitoring, Ecological Risk Assessment, Ecology and Ecosystems, Watersheds, ecosystem modeling, aquatic ecosystem, watershed classification, continuous monitoring, aquatic ecosystems, water quality, ecosystem restoration, environmental stress, hydrologic modeling, land use, land managementProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.