Increasing human populations and the associated land-use changes continue to be the primary factors causing water quality and habitat degradation in the Bay and its watershed. Human populations, and associated urban areas, are expected to grow to 19 million people by the year 2030 and will be the major factor impacting restoration of the ecosystem (Boesch and Greer, 2003). The USGS science theme “impact of human activities on land use” is focused on the impact of, and factors affecting, human activities on land-use change patterns. The primary objectives are:

• Enhance monitoring of, and further define the factors causing, the past and present land-use change patterns in the Bay watershed;
• Develop approaches to integrate land-use change findings and forecasts with water quality, quantity, and habitat models; and
• Synthesize findings and provide implications to conserve land that provide water quality and ecological benefit.