Measuring Urban Imperviousness and Modeling Stormwater Quality: Subtropical Comparisons Between an Arid and a Humid City

• Other Authors: Kang, Min Jo (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Geography
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-8821

People living in urban areas face environmental challenges resulting from the ever-increasing amount of impervious surfaces, which in turn increase the volume of stormwater runoff. Stormwater flow from impervious surfaces can lead to stream degradation, habitat alteration, low base flows, and toxic loadings from non-point sources. Rapid urbanization exacerbates the problem by creating continuous areas of surface imperviousness and fewer green patches. Remote sensing is a technology that facilitates frequent and widespread collection of data that can be analyzed to measure the extent of surface imperviousness, biophysical areas, and urban land use types. Accurate and current information of urban land use is required to build strategies for sustainable development. The purposes of this dissertation are to explore how object-oriented classification using high spatial resolution images captured by the QuickBird and GeoEye-1 satellite sensors can measure urban imperviousness and vegetation cover; and using multiple regression models, how climatic, geographic, physical, hydrological, and demographic factors influence stormwater quality in two cities - one in a humid climate, and one in an arid climate. It is important to establish the specific requirements and objectives for stormwater quality and to recognize the difference of cities in arid and humid areas. The spatial-statistical methodology demonstrates how satellite imagery can identify precise, consistent and rapid consequences of urbanization. Finally, another goal of this research is to suggest effective urban planning and stormwater management policies for sustainability, considering regional characteristics of arid and humid areas. It is critical for supporting public policies that advocate environmental sustainability and the more recent focus of urban livability. This research will be worthwhile for controlling and exploring the plurality of urban areas by providing a data source for the development and design of urban planning. Outreach from each can be conveniently grouped within the diverse umbrella of urban sustainability that links theory with more pragmatic policy-based solutions. That is, this dissertation will focus on the role of stormwater quality in urban sustainable management policy, indicators of urban growth and exurban expansion. The broader impact of this research is to help understand urban areas; how they are measured by their biophysical characteristics; their built environment; and their place is environmental ecologies. === A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Geography in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. === Spring Semester, 2014. === March 28, 2014. === Includes bibliographical references. === Victor Mesev, Professor Directing Dissertation; Timothy S. Chapin, University Representative; Xiaojun Yang, Committee Member; Tingting Zhao, Committee Member.