Exacerbation of Flooding Responses in the Appalachian Mountains Due to Land Cover/Land Use Change: A Comparative Study
Keith
N.
Eshleman, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, eshleman@al.umces.edu
(Presenting)
Philip
A.
Townsend, University of Wisconsin, ptownsend@wisc.edu
Todd
R.
Lookingbill, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, tlookingbill@al.umces.edu
David
P.
Helmers, University of Wisconsin, helmers@wisc.edu
Brenden
E.
McNeil, University of Wisconsin, bmcneil@wisc.edu
Joseph
R.
Ferrari, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, jferrari@al.umces.edu
Brian
C
McCormick, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, bmccormick@al.umces.edu
Kirsten
M
DeBeurs, Virginia Tech, kdebeurs@vt.edu
Surface mining and reclamation is presently the dominant driver of land cover/land use change (LCLUC) in the Central Appalachian Plateau (CAP) region of the eastern U.S. We have been examining the hydrologic impacts of surface mining and reclamation practices through observational studies at the hillslope and small catchment scale for several years, but the effects at the larger river basin scale have been inadequately addressed. Three research questions are thus being posed by our current NASA LCLUC project: (1) How can remote sensing imagery be used to accurately quantify the trajectory of land cover change associated with surface mining and reclamation in the CAP? (2) To what extent have flooding responses in representative river basins in this region been exacerbated by historical mining and reclamation practices? (3) How will flooding responses be affected by future mining and reclamation? We used Landsat imagery to map the extent of surface mining and reclamation in nine river basins in the CAP, employing standard image processing techniques in conjunction with a temporal decision tree and GIS maps of mine permits and wetlands. Hydrologic effects of mining were addressed through temporal analysis of the moments of flood frequency distributions in multiple basins, using a moving-window technique and normalizing annual maximum flows by antecedent streamflow and causative precipitation. A comparative analysis of sixteen contemporary warm season storm events in two adjacent basins based on hourly streamflow and NEXRAD Stage III derived rainfall data provided clear evidence that runoff responses to rainfall are enhanced by mining. Finally, we used a lumped-parameter hydrologic model (Hydrologic Simulation Program-Fortran) to simulate changes in flood response as a function of increased mining activities.
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