How to Estimate Future Land Cover in a Watershed (Leaf Out Analysis)
"Estimating future land cover in a watershed is important in the context of a watershed plan because it provides a snapshot of future conditions, which encourages local planners to rethink where and how development will occur in order to protect natural resources, reduce degradation of streams, provide clean drinking water for residents, and reduce stormwater management and flood control costs."The method described below is a GIS analysis that estimates future land cover in a watershed, and can also be used to evaluate the effect of different watershed protection scenarios on future land cover." [Introductory paragraph]See the Estimating Future Land Cover spreadsheet for calculations.[Center for Watershed Protection; 14 pages, 1.6mb PDF]
K. Cappiella, T. Schueler, T. Wright
November 2006
Booklet, Electronic File
Water Quality/Quantity, Watershed Management, Canopy
Eastern
CWP, CWP, Leaf characteristics, Leaf characteristics, Leaf Out Analysis, Leaf Out Analysis, Watershed, Watershed
SCUFR&I