AN ANALYSIS OF BIG FOSSIL CREEK WATERSHED, TARRANT COUNTY, TEXAS: AN APPLICATION OF GEOSCIENCE AND GIS IN URBAN PLANNING

The Big Fossil Creek watershed is a primary drainage system for northern Tarrant County, Texas, and is one of the most rapidly developing suburban areas in the greater Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex. The North Central Texas Council of Governments, a coalition of north central Texas member city and county governments and related organizations, is working with the Army Corps of Engineers to develop a long term urban management plan for Big Fossil Creek and its watershed.

This project is intended to serve as a model for the North Texas region in dealing with the effects of growth and urban sprawl on near-urban watersheds which are pressured by such rapid growth and expansion. With the presence of a major interstate highway, a major regional airport and the new Texas Motor Speedway complex, the watershed is expected to experience tremendous growth over the next 20 years.

As an integral part of the preperation of the long term plan for growth in the area, extensive modelling of environmental GIS data was undertaken to form the most accurate assessment of the areas of concern in the watershed. New high resolution LIDAR elevation data, digital orthophotography, hydrologic data, soils data, and geologic data were combined with various forms of urban planning data to create a dynamic look at the state of the watershed and its growth patterns. By delineating future transportation corridors, regional environmental corridors, and problem areas, urban planners and engineers are better able to analyze and plan for the future of the Big Fossil Creek watershed.