Pedosphere 23(1): 39--47, 2013
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2013 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Sediment pollution assessment of abandoned residential developments using remote sensing and GIS |
J. D. WERTS1, E. A. MIKHAILOVA1 , C. J. POST1 and J. L. SHARP2 |
1 Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Clemson University, 261 Lehotsky Hall, Clemson, SC 29634 (USA)
2 Department of Mathematical Sciences, Clemson University, 234 Barre Hall, Clemson, SC 29634 (USA) |
| ABSTRACT |
| The current economic crisis has left numerous residential developments in the southeastern United States in various stages of construction. Many of them are currently graded and essentially abandoned, creating a major source of sediment runoff to waterways. Residential development locations with significant bare soil areas were identified through classification of Landsat 5 TM satellite imagery and subsequently verified from high-resolution county aerial photographs. The revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) was used in a geographic information system (GIS) as a tool for prioritizing identified locations on the basis of potential soil loss assuming the worst case scenario of a completely unmaintained site. Initial GIS identification indicated 301 sites with a total bare soil area of 2 378 ha over three counties in Upstate South Carolina. A random sample of 153 sites was visited over 17 days and assessed using a mobile GIS, global positioning system (GPS), and digital camera for field validation. Results indicate that 78% (119) of the sites were classified correctly (residential construction sites in varying stages of completion); 88% of identified areas were less than 25% built compared to the previous year; 48% were categorized as moderate to severe problems. Abandoned and unfinished developments in Upstate South Carolina may represent a major source of sediment pollution to streams. Well-maintained erosion control devices may be useful in preventing offsite sedimentation.. |
| Key Words: classification, construction, erosion, RUSLE, soil loss |
| Citation: Werts, J. D., Mikhailova, E. A., Post, C. J. and Sharp, J. L. 2013. Sediment pollution assessment of abandoned residential developments using remote sensing and GIS. Pedosphere. 23(1): 39-47. |
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