Evaluation of Impervious Surface Estimates in a Rapidly Urbanizing Watershed
Accurate measurement of impervious surface (IS) cover is an essential indicator of downstream water quality and a critical input variable for many water quality and quantity models. This study compares IS estimates from a recently developed satellite imagery/land cover approach with
a more traditional aerial photography/land use approach. Both approaches are evaluated against a high-quality validation set consisting of planimetric data merged with manually-delineated areas of soil disturbance. The study area is the rapidly urbanizing 127 km2 Cub Run watershed
in northern Virginia, located on the fringe of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. Results show that photo-interpreted IS estimates of land class are higher than satellite-derived IS estimates by 100 percent or more, even in land uses conservatively assigned high IS values. Satellite-derived
IS estimates by land class correlate well with planimetric reference data (r [Needspace]0.95) and with published ranges for similar sites in the region. Basin-wide mean IS values, difference grids, and regression and density plots validate the use of satellite-derived/land cover-based
IS estimates over photo-interpreted/land use-based estimates. Results of this site-specific study support the use of automated, satellite-derived IS estimates for planning and management within rapidly urbanizing watersheds where a GIS system is in place, but where time-sensitive, high quality
planimetric data is unavailable.
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 November 2004
- The official journal of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing - the Imaging and Geospatial Information Society (ASPRS). This highly respected publication covers all facets of photogrammetry and remote sensing methods and technologies.
Founded in 1934, the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) is a scientific association serving over 7,000 professional members around the world. Our mission is to advance knowledge and improve understanding of mapping sciences to promote the responsible applications of photogrammetry, remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and supporting technologies. - Editorial Board
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