Geonarrative: How and why are conditions changing in Fairfax streams?
June 16, 2023
About this Tool
This tool is an interactive narrative that summarizes key findings from a new U.S. Geological Survey report, produced in collaboration with the Fairfax County Stormwater Planning Division. The report uses monitoring data collected between 2007 and 2018 to provide insights into the changing water quality of urban streams in Fairfax County and the potential role of water-quality management practices.
The report answers the following key questions:
- How did landscape and climatic conditions change?
- What management practices were used?
- Were management-practice effects observed?
- What factors affected water-quality and benthic-macroinvertebrate responses?
- How did hydrology vary during storm events?
Answers to these questions provided insights that could help inform future management activities in Fairfax County and in similar settings within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Related
Fairfax County Water Resources Monitoring Network
In recent years, hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested into the implementation of Best Management Practices in Fairfax County, Virginia, with the goal of improving water quality. Research has demonstrated that best management practices are effective at smaller scales, but less information is available to document the effectiveness of these best management practices at the watershed...
Climate, Landscape, and Water-Quality Metrics for Selected Watersheds in Fairfax County, Virginia, 2007-2018
This data release documents spatiotemporal water-quality, landscape, and climatic conditions in Fairfax County, Virginia from 2007 through 2018. These data were used to evaluate the water-quality and ecological condition of 20 Fairfax County watersheds monitored since 2007. Data include measures of water-quality, precipitation, air temperature, land use, land cover, wastewater and stormwater infra
Evaluating drivers of hydrology, water quality, and benthic macroinvertebrates in streams of Fairfax County, Virginia, 2007–18
In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey partnered with Fairfax County, Virginia, to establish a long-term water-resources monitoring program to evaluate the hydrology, water quality, and ecology of Fairfax County streams and the watershed-scale effects of management practices. Fairfax County uses a variety of management practices, policies, and programs to protect and restore its water resources, but
Authors
James S. Webber, Jeffrey G. Chanat, Aaron J. Porter, John D. Jastram
Related
Fairfax County Water Resources Monitoring Network
In recent years, hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested into the implementation of Best Management Practices in Fairfax County, Virginia, with the goal of improving water quality. Research has demonstrated that best management practices are effective at smaller scales, but less information is available to document the effectiveness of these best management practices at the watershed...
Climate, Landscape, and Water-Quality Metrics for Selected Watersheds in Fairfax County, Virginia, 2007-2018
This data release documents spatiotemporal water-quality, landscape, and climatic conditions in Fairfax County, Virginia from 2007 through 2018. These data were used to evaluate the water-quality and ecological condition of 20 Fairfax County watersheds monitored since 2007. Data include measures of water-quality, precipitation, air temperature, land use, land cover, wastewater and stormwater infra
Evaluating drivers of hydrology, water quality, and benthic macroinvertebrates in streams of Fairfax County, Virginia, 2007–18
In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey partnered with Fairfax County, Virginia, to establish a long-term water-resources monitoring program to evaluate the hydrology, water quality, and ecology of Fairfax County streams and the watershed-scale effects of management practices. Fairfax County uses a variety of management practices, policies, and programs to protect and restore its water resources, but
Authors
James S. Webber, Jeffrey G. Chanat, Aaron J. Porter, John D. Jastram