Application of GIS technology to hydrologic modeling of patch dynamics on a small, semi-arid watershed in southern New Mexico

TitleApplication of GIS technology to hydrologic modeling of patch dynamics on a small, semi-arid watershed in southern New Mexico
Publication TypeThesis
Year of Publication1992
AuthorsDaggett KC
Number of Pages125
Date Published1992
UniversityNew Mexico State University
CityLas Cruces, New Mexico
Thesis TypeM.S. Thesispp
Accession NumberJRN00151
Call Number00447
Keywordsdissertation, dissertations, hydrology,soil infiltration, model, SIMSED, model,soil infiltration, remote sensing,hydrology, remote sensing,soil infiltration, theses, thesis
AbstractStudies of infiltration in semi-arid regions indicate large spatial and temporal variations in infiltration rates. Factors which control infiltration such as soil properties, vegetal density, and antecedent soil moisture, are all spatially variable. For the sake of simplicity, formulations of many hydrolic models have traditionally assumed watershed homogeneity and disregarded spatial and temporal variability of such parameters. If watershed response is to be modeled more acccurately, models must account for spatial and temporal variation....The integration of ERDAS and SIMSED was successfully achieved and the system was implemented to show a potential application. A storm event was run at various percentages of existing vegetal cover conditions to observe the incurred changes to runoff and erosion potential. The results indicated very strong negative correlations between vegetal cover and erosion and to a lesser extent runoff.