Land Cover Change Effects on Watershed Hydrology

Environmental degradation has become a worlwide concern. This kind of problem may affect the governability and the sustainability of a society. It is important to have reliable data and research results in which informed decisions can be based on. This book focus just on one kind of environmental problem: land cover change in a river watershed due to urban development. The study area is located in Northeast Mexico in San Juan River watershed where Monterrey metropolitan area is found. A computer model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool, SWAT) was used to relate physical characteristics such as soil type, rainfall and land cover type with the water balance of the watershed.This work, and the previous research in which is based, can show that there is a systematic way to assess this kind of problems. It also describes the data collection and analysis experience. It should be useful to students and professionals that may be considering the use of GIS technology applied to watershed hydrology analysis.