Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
Changes in land use within a drainage basin affects the amount of sediment passing through the stream system. This research evaluates the impact of land use on sediment yield in first, second and third order streams in Williamsburg, Virginia, hypothesizing that the total sediment yield passing through a stream in a more developed basin at any given time interval is higher than sediment yield in a stream of a less developed basin. At sites evaluated in this study, sediment concentration and sediment yield increase with an increase in developed land use and a decrease in forested land use. Three primary sites indicated that the presence of retention basins may significantly decrease the impact of runoff and sediment transport directly to the channel. Continued observations of the changing land use in Williamsburg and other important factors, such as erosion rates and channel geometry, will benefit the understanding of the relationship between sediment yield and land use and encourage balanced land use management in the future.
Date Awarded
2002
Department
Geology
Advisor 1
Gregory S. Hancock
Recommended Citation
Brooker, Armistead Page III, "Effects of lad-use on sediment yield in drainage basins, Williamsburg, Virginia" (2002). Geology Senior Theses. William & Mary. Paper 90.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/geologyseniors/90
