ABSTRACT

CONTENTS 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 77 5.2 Methods........................................................................................................ 79

5.2.1 SPLIT Model .................................................................................... 79 5.2.2 MASC Model ................................................................................... 83

5.3 Result ............................................................................................................ 87 5.3.1 SPLIT Modeling Result .................................................................. 87 5.3.2 MASC Modeling Result ................................................................. 90

5.4 Conclusion and Discussions ..................................................................... 90 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................... 91 References ............................................................................................................. 91

Impervious surface is defined as any impenetrable material that prevents infiltration of water into the soil. Urban pavements, such as rooftops, roads, sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, and other man-made concrete surfaces, are among impervious surface types that feature the urban and suburban landscape. Impervious surface has been identified as a key environmental indicator due to its impacts on water systems and its role in transportation and concentration of pollutants [1]. Urban runoff, mostly through impervious surface, is the leading source of pollution in a nation’s estuaries, lakes, and rivers [1,2]. A watershed-planning model

predicted that most stream-quality indicators would decline when impervious surface areas (ISA) in a watershed exceeded 10% [3]. ISA have been recognized as an indicator of the intensity of urban environment. With the advent of urban sprawl, ISA have been identified as a key factor affecting the health of habit [4]. Quantification of the percentage and derivation of spatial distribution of ISA in landscapes have become increasingly important with the growing concern over water quality in this country [5-8].