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.