Hydrology of residential housing development.

Abstract

During conversion of vacant land to residential development, the flow of water (both surface and subsurface) may change and hence affect conditions on neighboring lands. Typically roads, houses, and retention ponds replace a fraction of the undeveloped lands, affecting several of the physical processes which control surface and subsurface flows. These processes include, evapotranspiration from vegetation, base flow and surface runoff into surrounding streams, evaporation from open water, storage of water within soil and ponds, and discharge from retention ponds. The purpose of this study was to develop a mathematical model of the interaction of the various processes involved. This was accomplished for a particular piece of property for which physical measurements were made that were useful in calibrating the mathematical model. This report describes the various physical processes, how they are interrelated and the calibration of the model by comparing model results with physical measurements.