Author(s)

Clinton P. Richardson¹, Kofi Amankwatia²

¹Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM, USA.
²Application Systems Analyst, City of Eugene, Eugene.

Watershed vulnerability was assessed for Bernalillo County, New Mexico using a multi-criteria Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) implemented in a Geographic Information System (GIS). A vulnerability map was produced by means of a weighted overlay analysis that combined soil erosion and infiltration maps derived from the FIS methodology. Five vulnerability classes were stipulated in the model: not vulnerable (N), slightly vulnerable (SV), moderately vulnerable (MV), highly vulnerable (HV), and extremely vulnerable (EV). The results indicate that about 88% of the study area is susceptible to slight (SV) to moderate vulnerability (MV), with 11% of the area subject to experience high or extreme vulnerability (HV/EV). For land use and land cover (LULC) classifications, shrub land was identified to experience the most vulnerability. Weighted overlay output compared similarly with the results predicted by Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model with the exception of the not vulnerable (N) class. The eastern portion of the county was identified as most vulnerable due to its high slope and high precipitation. Herein, structural stormwater control measures (SCMs) may be viable for managing runoff and sediment transport offsite. This multi-criteria FIS/GIS approach can provide useful information to guide decision makers in selection of suitable structural and non-structural SCMs for the arid Southwest.

Stormwater Control Measures, Fuzzy Inference System, Multi-Criteria Decision Support Systems, Geographic Information System

Richardson, C. and Amankwatia, K. (2019) Assessing Watershed Vulnerability in Bernalillo County, New Mexico Using GIS-Based Fuzzy Inference. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 11, 99-121. doi: 10.4236/jwarp.2019.112007.