Date of Award

1-1-2002

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Geography and Geology

First Advisor

Dr. Philip Reeder

Abstract

This study utilizes the HEC-1 hydrologic model interface within the Watershed Modeling System (WMS) software program to analyze the impacts of urban development and greenspace within a sub-basin of the Papillion Creek Watershed in eastern Nebraska. The sub-basin, located in Douglas County, Nebraska, is currently 30% developed. Four additional land use scenarios were created. The first three scenarios represent a progression of land development from current to complete development. The fourth depicts a completely developed sub-basin with an added greenspace system. Digital terrain data was used within WMS to delineate the basin and its sub-basins. Runoff rates were generated for each scenario. The data produced show a distinct relationship between the amount of developed land in the basin and runoff rates. Through the current land use and the first three land use scenarios, the runoff rates produced by HEC-1 increased at both basin-wide and localized levels. The southernmost outlet point produced runoff rates for the current land use and scenarios one, two, and three of 15.58 cms, 21.98 cms, 25.41 cms, and 27.94 cms respectively. The fourth scenario with added greenspace produced lower runoff rates than those of the completely developed basin without greenspace. The southernmost outlet produced a runoff rate of 26.37 cms, a 5.95% decrease from scenario three at the same outlet. The research indicates that land use management decisions that include greenspace will have less severe of an impact on runoff rates within the basin.

Comments

A Thesis Presented to the Department of Geography/Geology and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts University of Nebraska at Omaha. Copyright 2002, Kelly Anne Niemeyer

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