Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2005IN173B

The Effects of Landscape Transformation in a Changing Climate on Indiana's Water Resources

Institute: Indiana
Year Established: 2005 Start Date: 2005-03-01 End Date: 2006-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $40,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $80,052

Principal Investigators: Jon Harbor, Jon Harbor

Abstract: Water resources are critically influenced by changes in land use and climate. As landscapes are converted from agriculture to urban and suburban development, natural hydrologic processes are altered. Impervious surfaces decrease the amount of water infiltrating into the soil to become groundwater and increase the amount of runoff reaching streams. Similarly, climate change that increases the frequency of large rainstorms alters the amount of runoff and groundwater, even if average annual rainfall remains constant. The Greater Indianapolis area has been experiencing increased urbanization in the past several decades, which is affecting the local water quality and quantity. As population increases, the stresses placed on water resources also increase. This project will quantify the impacts that past and future land use and climate change have on Greater Indianapolis water resources, providing critical information for local water resource planners and managers who are working to protect the water resources that are vital for the economic and environmental health of Indiana.