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Abstract

 

Yang, Z., and M. Reiter. 2008. Land use/cover changes within riparian buffers in the State of Delaware. JEMREST 4:39-52.

 

DOI: 10.4029/2007jemrest4no102

Numerous studies show that land development within riparian buffers leads to significant degradation of open water bodies and groundwater, with an associated loss of aquatic life. Since the State of Delaware has experienced increased population growth and development pressure in recent years, this study used GIS to examine the change in land use/cover within riparian buffers in the State of Delaware over a 10-year period from 1992 to 2002. We were particularly interested in studying the change in land use/cover within riparian buffers and how forest and agricultural land was converted to developed land. Variation in land use/cover changes in the three Delaware counties were also examined separately, since the counties exhibited heterogeneity in their land use/cover and each had experienced different population growth rates over the time period examined. Within riparian buffers, there was an increase in developed land and decrease in both agricultural land and forested land from 1992 to 2002, with land conversion rates increasing over the ten year period. Compared to Kent County, New Castle and Sussex Counties had more land development within riparian buffers from 1992 to 2002. Given the strong correlations between such changes and water quality, attention should be paid to the trend in land development, especially housing development within riparian buffers in order to protect Delaware water resources.

 

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