USGS Open-File Report 01-267: Spatial variability of sediment erosion processes using GIS analysis within watersheds in a historically mined region, Patagonia Mountains, Arizona

Spatial variability of sediment erosion processes using GIS analysis within watersheds in a historically mined region, Patagonia Mountains, Arizona

By Laura M. Brady, Floyd Gray, Craig A. Wissler and D. Phillip Guertin

Abstract

In this study, a geographic information system (GIS) is used to integrate and accurately map field studies, information from remotely sensed data, watershed models, and the dispersion of potentially toxic mine waste and tailings. The purpose of this study is to identify erosion rates and net sediment delivery of soil and mine waste/tailings to the drainage channel within several watershed regions to determine source areas of sediment delivery as a method of quantifying geo-environmental analysis of transport mechanisms in abandoned mine lands in arid climate conditions. Users of this study are the researchers interested in exploration of approaches to depicting historical activity in an area which has no baseline data records for environmental analysis of heavily mined terrain.

First posted June 11, 2001

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Suggested citation:

Brady, Laura M., Gray, Floyd, Wissler, Craig A., Guertin, D. Phillip, 2001, Spatial variability of sediment erosion processes using GIS analysis within watersheds in a historically mined region, Patagonia Mountains, Arizona: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 01-267, 51 pp., https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2001/0267/.

Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Approach

GIS Definitions of Watershed Parameters

Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE)

Spatially Explicit Delivery Model (SEDMOD)

Analysis of Watershed Components

Results

Conclusions