Streams in urbanizing landscapes: from syndrome diagnosis to watershed prescription

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This project will examine how variation in the size, distribution and connectivity of developed land within urbanizing landscapes influences the magnitude and timing of hydrologic and chemical impacts to receiving streams. Ecologists studying altered landscapes tend to focus on the extreme endpoints of land cover gradients, yet the vast majority of watersheds within the city limits of mid-size cities in the southeastern United States have only 25-35% of their surfaces in pavements, roofs, lawns and roads. Within these watersheds, the size, proximity and connectivity of developed surfaces relative to receiving streams varies tremendously. This project seeks to answer how the arrangement of impervious surfaces exacerbates or mitigates the effects of developed surface area. Researchers will compare pollutant loads for streams draining watersheds with similar levels of development but with very different development configurations. New metrics for quantifying land use change will be developed. This project will provide new insights into the way urban communities are reconfiguring and reconnecting their watersheds in ways that impact the supply and quality of water resources. The research will be conducted in collaboration with municipal, county and state officials engaged in ongoing discussions about water resources in the region. Affiliated teaching fellows will convert the analyses and results generated here into widely distributed curriculum modules that will allow high school students from throughout the state to learn about urban ecosystems and about how what we do on the landscape surface affects the quality of our water supplies.