ABSTRACT
The analysis of hydrologic data is assumed to be capable of detecting the effects of watershed change. Graphical methods and statistical tests can be used to support hypotheses developed on the basis of independent information. However, detection is rarely the ultimate goal. Instead, the purpose of detection is generally to model the effect of the watershed change so that the effect can be extrapolated to some future state. For example, if the study design requires the specification of ultimate watershed development, knowing the hydrologic effect of partial development in a watershed may enable more accurate forecasts of the effects that ultimate development will have.
