An Assessment of the Impact of Recreational Development of Water Quality and Yield in Small Forested Watersheds

The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of second-home development on water quality in small forest watersheds. Research was also done in predicting second-home development in the Cloudcroft, New Mexico area. Different water quality parameters were measured at low and high construction activity sites and compared to a control site using variance and regression analysis. A Kingen 75 simulation model was also used to compare impacts on water quality at different stages of development. Results indicated that the percent total dissolved solids was the key parameter indicating an increase during construction. The infiltration rate proved to be the most sensitive Cactor tested in the simulation model. Predicted runoff remained constant for all levels of construction except at full development when the actual runoff increased 237 percent in relation to the development at the time. The variables, number of land transactions, the deflated lag price of oil, and the consumer price index for private transportation, were used in combinations for regression analysis and accounted for 90 percent accuracy in determining the variation of second-home development in the Cloudcroft area.

Project Numbers: 1423684, 1423683, 1423681, 1345643, and 3109-316