Human activities can change the environment of a river basin through land use choices like road building and urban sprawl. Land use and land cover (LULC (JPEG)) change reflect the interaction between natural and human systems. In the Blanco watershed, these changes are increasingly common within growing areas of urban concentration.
The watershed ranks among the top five fastest growing populations in the United States. The population in the region is expected to more than double in size by the year 2050. Population growth and urbanization have great impacts on the environment and will have significant impacts on the flow, water quality, and biodiversity.
With continuing economic development and urban expansion, it is important to characterize the land cover changes in the region as they have occurred in recent history.
Blanco Water Atlas 