Date of Award
1-6-2017
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Geosciences
First Advisor
Jeremy Diem
Second Advisor
Ricardo Nogueira
Third Advisor
Luke Pangle
Abstract
Urbanization has been associated with the degradation of streams, and a consequence of forest to urban land transition is a change in streamflow. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to examine the impacts of land-cover change in ten different watersheds in the rapidly urbanizing Atlanta, GA USA metropolitan area. Streamflow and precipitation data for a 30-year period (1986-2016) were analyzed in conjunction with land cover data from 1992, 2001, and 2011. Big Creek and Suwanee Creek experienced the most urbanization and increases (20%) in streamflow and runoff, and high flow (>95th percentile of flow) days doubled and increased 85%, respectively. Precipitation-adjusted streamflow for Peachtree Creek and Flint River decreased about 17%. Runoff ratios for South River were the highest among all watersheds, even the Etowah River, which remained moderately forested and had the most precipitation and slope.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.57709/9011550
Recommended Citation
Hill, T. Chee, "Land Cover Change Impacts on Multidecadal Streamflow in Metropolitan Atlanta GA, USA." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2017.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/9011550