Get the most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to watershed analysis and management. In Watersheds: Processes, Assessment, and Management, author Paul DeBarry covers aspects of watershed physical processes such as assessing, classifying, and evaluating a watershed; using GIS models for watershed assessment; and effectively planning for future use and demands. He covers precipitation, ecology, geology, soils, geomorphology, hydrogeology, hydrology, water quality, hydraulics, GIS, data collection, planning, and management. And he takes you beyond theory so you learn to apply planning, management, GIS, and hydrologic engineering principles in real-world watershed management. This concise reference manual is ideal whether you're a scientist, biologist, geologist, engineer, planner, administrator, part of a citizens group, or a practitioner seeking to identify what is important in the watershed being studied.

Table of Contents:
PREFACE xiii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xvii 1 INTRODUCTION: COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 1 1.0 Introduction 1 1.1 Sustainability 3 1.2 Watershed Assessment and Management 4 1.3 Comprehensive Watershed Management Concepts 4 1.4 Political versus Natural Resource Management 10 1.5 Summary 13 PART A: WATERSHED PROCESSES 17 2 PHYSIOGRAPHY 19 2.0 Introduction 19 2.1 Physiography and Physiographic Provinces 19 2.2 Geology 19 2.3 Soils 30 2.4 Topography 45 2.5 Summary 47 3 CLIMATE, PRECIPITATION, HYDROLOGIC CYCLE 49 3.0 Introduction 49 3.1 Climate Classification 49 3.2 Precipitation 49 3.3 Hydrologic Cycle, Water Balance, and Water Budget 56 3.4 Anthropogenic (Man-made) Changes to the Water Balance 64 3.5 Low Flow 71 3.6 Summary 73 4 HYDROGEOLOGY 76 4.0 Introduction 76 4.1 Groundwater 76 4.2 Flow through Porous Media 82 4.3 Fluid Movement in Unsaturated Media 82 4.4 Fluid Movement in Saturated Media 83 4.5 Flow Through Secondary Openings in Dense Materials 84 4.6 Nitrogen Pollution 84 4.7 Summary 90 5 HYDROGEOMORPHOLOGY (WATERSHED AND STREAM MORPHOLOGY) 92 5.0 Introduction 92 5.1 Hydrogeomorphology 93 5.2 Watershed Classifications 97 5.3 Stream Classifications 104 5.4 Watershed Hydrology 111 5.5 Summary 113 6 LAKES, RESERVOIRS, STREAMS, AND WETLANDS 115 6.0 Introductio 115 6.1 Lentic Water (Ponds, Lakes, Reservoirs) 116 6.2 The Great Dam Debate 123 6.3 Lotic Water (Streams and Rivers) 124 6.4 Physical Properties of Receiving Waters 125 6.5 Wetlands 125 6.6 Summary 133 7 ECOLOGY/HABITAT 135 7.0 Introduction 135 7.1 Ecosystems 135 7.2 Biodiversity 138 7.3 Stressors 139 7.4 Bioindicators 140 7.5 Fisheries 147 7.6 Threatened and Endangered Species 149 7.7 Summary 152 8 WATER QUALITY: NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION 155 8.0 Introduction 155 8.1 Water Quality 155 8.2 Chemical Properties of Precipitation 156 8.3 Chemical Properties of Receiving Waters 161 8.4 Point versus Nonpoint Source Pollution 163 8.5 Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollutants 165 8.6 Buildup and Washoff in Urban Areas 170 8.7 Runoff Pollutant Sources 173 8.8 Summary 173 PART B: WATERSHED ASSESSMENT 183 9 WATERSHED ASSESSMENT: DATA COLLECTION 185 9.0 Introduction 185 9.1 Project Initiation 186 9.2 Establish the Watershed Assessment Team 186 9.3 Involve Citizenry 187 9.4 Select a Consultant 188 9.5 Implement Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) 188 9.6 Identify General Problems in the Watershed 188 9.7 Develop Goals and Objectives 189 9.8 Obtain Grant(s) 193 9.9 Hold Public Meetings and Conduct Surveys 194 9.10 Collect Data 196 9.11 Check Local Ordinances 213 9.12 Assimilate Data 214 9.13 Proceed with Analysis: Assessment and Modeling 214 9.14 Write the Plan Report 214 9.15 Summary 216 10 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS 217 10.0 Introduction 217 10.1 Use of GIS for Watershed Assessment 217 10.2 Units, Scale, and Accuracy 218 10.3 Coordinate Systems, Datums, and Projections 219 10.4 GIS Data Types 222 10.5 Metadata 225 10.6 GIS Layers and Data Sources Useful for Watershed Assessment and Analysis 226 10.7 Summary 272 11 PRECIPITATION AND STREAM FLOW DATA 277 11.0 Introduction 277 11.1 Precipitation Measurements 277 11.2 Stream Flow Measurements 288 11.3 Base Flow Separation 307 11.4 Summary 312 12 WATERSHED HYDROLOGY AND MODELING 315 12.0 Introduction 315 12.1 Drainage Area 316 12.2 Time-of-Concentration and Watershed Lag 316 12.3 Runoff 320 12.4 Routing 325 12.5 Modeling Process 327 12.6 Sensitivity Analysis 328 12.7 GIS 331 12.8 Model Calibration Process 331 12.9 Verification 355 12.10 Calibrated Model Runs 357 12.11 Summary 357 13 STREAM AND RIVER MORPHOLOGIC ASSESSMENT 361 13.0 Introduction 361 13.1 Age Classifications 362 13.2 Stream Form (Pattern) 362 13.3 Stream Factors 364 13.4 Stream Classifications 374 13.5 Performing a Fluvial Geomorphological Assessment 379 13.6 Summary 383 14 ECOLOGY: HABITAT CLASSIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT 385 14.0 Introduction 385 14.1 Longitudinal Changes in Stream Ecosystems 385 14.2 Ecosystem Classifications 386 14.3 Ecoregions and Watershed Management 393 14.4 Rapid Bioassessment Protocol (RBP) 394 14.5 Species Diversity Inventory 395 14.6 Aquatic Habitat 395 14.7 Conducting an Aquatic Survey 396 14.8 Aquatic Organism Assessment 400 14.9 Summary 400 15 NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION LOAD ASSESSMENT 403 15.0 Introduction 403 15.1 Existing Pollutant Loading Data (NURP) 403 15.2 Field Data Collection and Monitoring 405 15.3 Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) 411 15.4 Pollutant Loading Equations and Methods 413 15.5 Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) 419 15.6 Computer Simulation Models 428 15.7 Summary 430 PART C: WATERSHED MANAGEMENT 433 16 AGENCY ROLES, PROGRAMS, REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES 435 16.0 Introduction 435 16.1 Water Quality Criteria and Standards 436 16.2 Regulations 438 16.3 State, Regional, and Local Regulations 457 16.4 Federal Programs 460 16.5 Greenways and Rivers Conservation Plans 468 16.6 Land Trusts 468 16.7 Summary 469 17 SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO WATERSHED ASSESSMENT: THE DIGITAL WATERSHED, WATERSHED ANALYSIS, GIS, AND MODELING 471 17.0 Introduction 471 17.1 GIS Applications 471 17.2 Compiling the Digital Watershed 472 17.3 Data Analysis 473 17.4 The GIS Overlaying Procedure 486 17.5 GIS in Hydrologic and Hydraulic Analyses 486 17.6 GIS and Floodplain Management 493 17.7 GIS and Groundwater Management 494 17.8 GIS and Water Quality 495 17.9 Management District Determination 495 17.10 Displaying the Results 497 17.11 Summary 497 18 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ON A WATERSHED BASIS: REGIONAL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT 499 18.0 Introduction 499 18.1 Urbanization/Land Development 501 18.2 Stormwater Management and Land Development 501 18.3 Watershed-Level Stormwater Runoff Control Management Philosophy 505 18.4 Conventional On-Site Runoff Control versus Watershed Level Runoff Control 505 18.5 Release Rate Percentage Concept 507 18.6 Minimum Reasonable Release Rate Determination 513 18.7 Variable Stormwater Management Districts 514 18.8 Summary 523 19 ON-SITE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION DESIGN 526 19.0 Introduction 526 19.1 Traditional Procedure for Site Design Stormwater Management 527 19.2 Best Management Practices 529 19.3 Five-Phase Approach to Stormwater Management 530 19.4 Nonstructural BMPs and Stormwater Management 550 19.5 The Role of Soils in Low Impact Development 564 19.6 Recommended Procedure for Site Design Stormwater Management: The Low Impact Development Design Planning Process 565 19.7 Advantages and Benefits of LID Design 569 19.8 Future Implementation 569 19.9 Structural BMPs 570 19.10 Summary 583 20 FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT AND RIPARIAN BUFFERS 587 20.0 Introduction 587 20.1 Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Insurance Program 589 20.2 Land Development Process in the Floodplain 594 20.3 Room for Improvement 599 20.4 Floodplain and Riparian Buffer Management 602 20.5 Riparian Buffers and Stream Orders 604 20.6 Riparian Buffer Assessment 605 20.7 Riparian Buffer Management 606 20.8 Summary 610 21 STREAM AND LAKE MANAGEMENT 613 21.0 Introduction 613 21.1 Streambank Management Using FGM Techniques 613 21.2 Lake Management 614 21.3 Summary 620 22 GROUNDWATER AND INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT 623 22.0 Introduction 623 22.1 Water Supply Plan 623 22.2 Wellhead Protection Study 625 22.3 Integrated Water Resources Management 632 22.4 Summary 646 23 SUMMARY 648 APPENDIX A SELECTED LIST OF GIS DATA AND RELATED SITES 651 APPENDIX B ACRONYMS 652 GLOSSARY 657 INDEX 690