Simulating Landscape Evolution on a Portion of the Virginia Coastal Plain

The objective of this study is to apply the landscape evolution model developed by Howard [1994, 1997] to simulate the evolution of a portion of the Virginia coastal plain. Projects such as these are important as we modify our landscape for domestic and industrial purposes. An understanding of the landscape’s response is essential for effective protection of environmental health. We attempt to identify the local and regional conditions that have most strongly influenced landscape development in the Colonial Beach South Quadrangle. These conditions were parameterized and integrated into the drainage basin model. Landscapes produced by model simulations are compared to a digital representation of the natural landscape.