Assessing critical source areas in watersheds for conservation buffer planning and riparian restoration

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-1-2009

Abstract

A science-based geographic information system (GIS) approach is presented to target critical source areas in watersheds for conservation buffer placement. Critical source areas are the intersection of hydrologically sensitive areas and pollutant source areas in watersheds. Hydrologically sensitive areas are areas that actively generate runoff in the watershed and are derived using a modified topographic index approach based on variable source area hydrology. Pollutant source areas are the areas in watersheds that are actively and intensively used for such activities as agricultural production. The method is applied to the Neshanic River watershed in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The capacity of the topographic index in predicting the spatial pattern of runoff generation and the runoff contribution to stream flow in the watershed is evaluated. A simple cost-effectiveness assessment is conducted to compare the conservation buffer placement scenario based on this GIS method to conventional riparian buffer scenarios for placing conservation buffers in agricultural lands in the watershed. The results show that the topographic index reasonably predicts the runoff generation in the watershed. The GIS-based conservation buffer scenario appears to be more cost-effective than the conventional riparian buffer scenarios. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Identifier

70350348360 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Environmental Management

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-009-9380-y

e-ISSN

14321009

ISSN

0364152X

PubMed ID

19777291

First Page

968

Last Page

980

Issue

5

Volume

44

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