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Dan Nally
February 2010
Assignment 1: Project Topic Interests and Spatial Questions
Topic 1: Existing and Potential Development of Critical Watershed Supporting
Areas
Summary: This project will investigate the distribution and development status of
Critical Watershed Supporting Areas (CWSAs) in Massachusetts. These areas, typically
adjacent to major waterways, are defined as having the highest potential to sustain or
degrade aquatic biodiversity. I will analyze patterns of land use and amount of
impervious cover within these regions, identifying areas likely to be the greatest
contributors of non-point source pollutants. Next, I will identify areas within the CSWAs
most vulnerable to future development, namely, unprotected open space with permissive
zoning. This analysis could be useful to identify and prioritize areas for watershed
conservation and restoration projects.
Questions: Which land areas are most responsible for degrading the quality of surface
waters? Which critical areas are most vulnerable to development?
References:
Huang, S., & Ferng, J. (1990). Applied land classification for surface water quality
management: I. watershed classification. Journal of Environmental
Management, 31(2), 107-126.
Massachusetts Audubon Society. (2009). Losing Ground: Beyond the Footprint.
Data Sources: MassGIS: NHESP Living Waters Critical Supporting Watersheds, Core
Aquatic Habitats, Impervious Surfaces, Zoning, Protected and Recreational Open Space,
DEP Integrated List of Waters
Topic 2: The Effects of Surface Mining on Poverty and Health in Appalachia
Summary: The deleterious effects of surface mining on air and water quality are
believed to cause adverse health effects, as well as decreases in population, income, and
home values in nearby communities. The majority of mountaintop removal operations in
the U.S. are located in the poverty-stricken Appalachian region. This project will
investigate how economic characteristics such as average household income, percentage
of population living below the poverty line, home values, and cancer incidence rates vary
with proximity to surface mining sites in West Virginia (and/or KY, VA).
If possible, I would like to use water flow and wind pattern data to more accurately map
areas with a high potential to be contaminated by air and waterborne impurities emitted
from mines. This could be used to predict areas most susceptible to economic and
ecological degradation following the excavation of new mine sites. As an alternative
option, I could restrict my analysis to a one or several mine sites and use historical census
and health data to reveal how these factors changed after the commencement of mining
operations.
Questions: Can proximity to surface mining operations be correlated with regions of
acute economic distress in Appalachia? Can prevailing wind directions and topography
be used to predict the “impact zone” of future mine sites?
References:
Hendryx, M., O’Donnell, K., & Horn, K. (2008). Lung cancer mortality is elevated in
coal-mining areas of Appalachia. Lung Cancer, 62(1), 1-7.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2005). Mountaintop Mining/Valley Fills in
Appalachia: Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.
Data Sources: West Virginia DEP GIS data, http://gis.wvdep.org/, US Census Bureau,
National Cancer Institute
Topic 3: Urban Pond Management
Summary: I’m currently exploring the feasibility of incorporating GIS analysis into the
Salem Sound Coastwatch Field Project group’s study of urban pond management. We
are researching ponds in Marblehead and Melrose and trying to identify ways to slow
eutrophication and build consensus around management strategies. Watersheds of each
pond in the case study could be mapped and characterized by land use, impervious area,
and demographic characteristics. Local GIS data would have to be obtained for
Marblehead and the Melrose areas. However, even with higher resolution data layers, the
ponds are small in size and may lead to a high level of uncertainty in GIS analysis.