Hydrologic Impacts of Land-use Changes in Coastal Plain Watersheds

Abstract

Conservation programs developed and implemented by the U.S. Department ofAgricultural have led to land-use changes of large areas throughout the U.S. Differentevapotranspiration and infiltration characteristics of these areas may cause dramatic hydrologicdifferences to be observed on watersheds where the changes are implemented. This impact wasexamined using observed data for the Little River Watershed in South-Central Georgia. Examinationof satellite images collected from 1980 to 2003 indicate decreases in fallow acreage and increases inrow-crop and pasture acreage. However, hydrologic data collected from this watershed do notindicate any changes in hydrology that can be attributed to these changes in land-use. The ratio ofthe annual flow to the annual precipitation for this watershed has remained stable at approximately0.27. Precipitation appears to have the greatest overall impact on streamflow.