Hydrological Effects of Land-Use Change in a Zero-Order Catchment

Abstract
Hydrologic modeling and relatively simple monitoring were used to estimate the hydrologic balance for two geographically close and, in the undisturbed state, hydrologically similar, zero-order basins: one undeveloped forest and the other suburban. Continuous precipitation and streamflow were measured in each basin; the model was used to estimate time series of evapotranspiration and ground-water recharge over a 40-yr period. The suburban catchment was denuded of forest cover, soil thickness was reduced, and 30% of the area was covered with impervious surfaces. The amount of annual precipitation that becomes runoff ranged from 12 to 30% in the forested catchment and 44 to 48% in the suburban catchment where runoff from pervious areas accounts for 40–60% of the annual total. The peak flow rate per unit area for an approximate 24-h, 50-yr rainfall was more than 10 times higher from the pervious area at the suburban site than at the forested site. These findings emphasize the need to consider surface flow fro...

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