Watershed Impacts of Recreational Development in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

摘要

In the southwestern United States, there is widespread concern about the hydrologic effects of a rapidly increasing population and the consequent drastic changes in the types and intensity of land use. This research effort was directed towards obtaining a data base consisting of climatic, vegetative, soil, erosional and hydrologic information which would be useful in the management decision making process for Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas. Based on initial studies five watersheds ranging in size from 25.32 square miles to 0.15 square miles were selected for intensive studies to quantify relationships between soil, vegetation, climatic, topographic, and geologic factors in such a way that they may be used as a basis for predicting the effects of modification in land use on erosion, water yield and quality, flooding and ground water supplies.