Madison Impervious Surface Cover (2012)
Introduction
Impervious surfaces refer to materials such as concrete and asphalt that comprise roadways, parking areas, sidewalks, buildings, etc. Impervious surfaces prevent rainwater from naturally seeping into the ground, and a result, storm water instead runs across the environment as runoff. This can cause problems for not only humans, but the myriad of other species that utilize this landscape, in the form of flooding, water pollution, and even increased water temperatures across waterbodies.
Data
Results
Figure 1: Madison Impervious Surface Cover (2012). Darker polygons indicate higher impervious surface percent.
About the Data
Authors:
Evan Rinaldi, Dominic Parenti - Drew University
ENV/BIOL 302 - Geographic Information Systems
Spring 2023
Measurement of impervious surfaces throughout Madison can help identify what specific acreage deserves attention due to detrimental flooding. This data helps regulators such as NJDEP monitor stormwater runoff and encourage Madison residents to reduce it. Their devotion to keeping pollution and contaminants outside the natural sources of water goes beyond protecting the local environment and its aquatic wildlife; it protects people too. Understanding what locations within Madison have more concentrated impervious surfaces also allows for people to learn how to manage runoff where it’s pivotal. Working to make this data more accessible and further studying changes in impervious surface cover are essential to the safety of Madison and its populace. This data could also be used to help inform regulations within the town, mainly the Stormwater Ordinance.
Conclusion
Find this map online: Madison Environmental Resource Inventory, https://www.madisoneri.org
Understanding the impervious surface cover of Madison can help us see which areas are most likely to be impacted by storm water runoff. The map displayed here uses data from the NJDEP to clearly outline the impervious surface cover throughout Madison.
Throughout Madison, impervious surface cover ranges from zero to 100 percent. Darker colors on the map highlight greater impervious surface cover.
Madison has a high number of areas with 5-10% impervious cover, yet the overall average of impervious cover is 39%. The downtown of Madison is responsible for the most impervious areas, whereas the suburban and forest areas have less impervious areas.
The 2012 Land Use/Land Cover data set is the fifth in a series of land use mapping efforts began in 1986. The current presentation was created by comparing the 2007 LU/LC layer from NJDEP’s Geographic Information Systems database to 2012 data. Work for this data set was done by Aerial Information Systems, Inc., Redlands, CA, under direction of the NJDEP. The 2015 Land Use/Land Cover data set builds upon this foundation, and is the sixth series of this mapping effort.
The Road Centerlines of New Jersey dataset was created out of a partnership between local GIS groups and the NJ Department of Transportation. This data set was published in 2021, and continues to be updated going into 2023.