Abstract
In order to investigate the relationship between stream chemistry and watershed land cover at the regional scale, we analyzed data from 368 wadeable streams sampled in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. during spring 1993–1994. Study sites were selected using a probability sample and the digitized version of the 1:100,000 scale USGS map stream network as the sample population. Both classified Thematic Mapper (TM) and USGS Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) data were used to quantify land cover in the study watersheds. On average, the most common land cover was forest (77%) followed by agriculture (20%), and urban (1%). Multiple regression analysis showed that concentrations of Cl−, nutrients, acid neutralization capacity, and base cations were the analytes most strongly related to watershed land cover. Despite large differences in resolution and age of the TM and LULC data sources, similar results were obtained with the two sources. Using a greater number of land cover subclasses did not greatly improve the land cover-chemistry relationships. Ecoregions with predominantly forested land cover had weaker relationships than ecoregions with more agricultural and/or urban land cover. In studies or databases without land cover information, Cl− concentration is a good surrogate indicator for general human disturbance in the watershed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Anderson, J.R., Hardy, E.E., Roach, J.T. and Witmer, R.E.: 1976, A Land Use and Land Cover Classification system for Use with Remote Sensor Data, USGS Prof. Paper 964.
Field, C.K., Siver, P.A., and Lott, A.: 1996, J. Environ. Qual., 25, 325.
Herlihy, A.T., Kaufmann, P.R., Church, M.R., Wigington, P.J., Webb, J.R. and Sale, M.J.: 1993, Water Resourc. Res., 29, 2687.
Johnson, C.B., Weaver, G.W. and Larsen, D.P.: Environ. Manag.,in review.
Jordan, T.E., Correll, D.L. and Weller, D.E.: 1997, J. Environ. Qual., 26, 836.
Langland, M.J., Lietman, P.L. and Hoffman, S.: 1995, Synthesis of Nutrient and Sediment Data for Watersheds within the Chesapeake Bay Drainage Basin, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 95–4233.
Liegel, L., Cassell, D., Stevens, D., Shaffer, P. and Church, R.: 1991, Environ. Manag., 15, 269.
Mattson, M.D. and Godfrey, P.J.: 1994, Environ. Manag., 18, 767.
McDaniel, T.W., Hunsaker, C.T. and Beauchamp, J.J.: 1987, Environ. Manag., 11, 507.
Mueller, D.K., Hamilton, P.A., Helsel, D.R., Hitt, K.J. and Ruddy, B.C.: 1995, Nutrients in Ground Water and Surface Water ofthe United States — An Analysis ofData through 1992, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 95–4031.
Osborne, L.L. and Wiley, M.J.: 1988, J. Environ. Manag., 26, 9.
Prowse, C.W.: 1987, Water, Air, Soil Pollut., 32, 277.
Puckett, L.J.: 1995, Environ. Sci. Technol., 29, 408A.
SAS.: 1985, SAS/STAT Guide for Personal Computers, Ver. 6, SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC.
Schnabel, R.R., Urban, J.B. and Gburek, W.J.: 1993, J. Environ. Qual., 22, 589.
Siver, P.A., Canavan, R.W., Field, C.K., Marsicano, L.J. and Lott, A.: 1996, J. Environ. Qual., 25, 334.
Stoddard, J.L.: 1994, ‘Long-term Changes in Watershed Retention of Nitrogen: Its Causes and Aquatic Consequences’, in L.A. Baker (ed.), Environmental Chemistry of Lakes and Reservoirs, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, pp. 223–284.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: 1987, Handbook of Methods for Acid Deposition Studies: Laboratory Analysis for Surface Water Chemistry, EPA 600/4–87/026, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: 1995, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program — Surface Waters: Field Operations and Methods forMeasuring the Ecological Conditions of Wadeable Streams, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH.
U.S. Geological Survey: 1990, Land Use and Land Cover Digital Data from 1:250,000- and 1:100,000-scale maps. Data Users’ Guide 4, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.
Vogelmann, J.E., Soho, T. and Howard, S.M.: Photogram. Eng. Remote Sens,in press.
Webb, R., Cosby, J., Eshleman, K. and Galloway, J.: 1995, Water, Air, Soil Pollut., 85, 535.
Woods, A.J., Omernik, J.M., Brown, D.D. and Kiilsgaard, C.W.: 1996, Level III and IV Ecoregions of Pennsylvania and the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Ridge and Valley, and the Central Appalachians of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, EPA/600R96/077, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, Oregon.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1998 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Herlihy, A.T., Stoddard, J.L., Johnson, C.B. (1998). The Relationship between Stream Chemistry and Watershed Land Cover Data in the Mid-Atlantic Region, U.S.. In: Wieder, R.K., Novák, M., Černý, J. (eds) Biogeochemical Investigations at Watershed, Landscape, and Regional Scales. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0906-4_34
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0906-4_34
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-5064-9
Online ISBN: 978-94-017-0906-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive