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<br />occurring in certain areas of the basin. Results from this preliminary <br />investigation indicate that Landsat data could be used as a screening tool <br />for identification and monitoring of changes in land-use patterns. This is <br />especially true for monitoring conversion of rangeland to dryland <br />agricultural fields. Also, larger strip mines can be monitored for extent of <br />their operation with reasonable accuracy. Other temporal changes in land-use <br />patterns in the Yampa River basin that should be feasible to locate and map <br />using Landsat are: Timber-cutting operations, changes in rangeland condition <br />(large area) as a result of grazing and other factors, and areal extent and <br />location of surface-water storage larger than 5 acres (2 halo It should be <br />emphasized that, because of the MSS resolution of approximately 1.1 acres <br />(0.45 ha) and other factors discussed concerning the current Landsat system, <br />it is generally not suitable for land-use and land-cover classifications more <br />detailed than level I I. It does, however, provide a potentially valuable <br />method for locating areas of change in land-use at level I and in some <br />instances level I I. This capability would save a great deal of time and <br />effort in monitoring land-use patterns in a large area, such as the Yampa <br />River basin. Areas requiring more detailed analysis (aerial photography or <br />ground reconnaissance) could be identified by using Landsat images. <br /> <br />The conclusions presented above are based on the qualitative results <br />obtained in the investigation coupled with results obtained by other <br />investigators who have conducted similar studies. In order to quantitatively <br />define the capabilities of this approach in the Yampa River basin, further <br />study is required. <br /> <br />Lineament Mapping <br /> <br />Increasing demand and competition for surface-water resources in the <br />Yampa River basin are resulting in expanded development of ground-water <br />resources. The development of ground-water supplies in this region is just <br />beginning but should increase rapidly in response to pressures for additional <br />water suppl ies. <br /> <br />Many studies in consolidated-rock terrain have concluded that larger <br />yields may be obtained from wel Is drilled along or at the intersection of <br />faults or major joints. Landsat imagery provides the large areal coverage <br />necessary to detect major lineaments that may indicate faults or fracture <br />zones with potential for increased ground-water availability (Goetz and <br />others, 1975; Moore and Deutsch, 1975). Lineaments are not always indicative <br />of fractures in the rock, and further investigation usually is required to <br />confirm the presence of a fault or fracture for subsequent ground-water <br />investigation. Even if the results of lineament mapping were only partly <br />successful in locating areas of near-surface ground-water occurrence, the <br />time and funds spent on this procedure could potentially result in <br />considerable reduction in the cost and effort expended in drilling productive <br />water wells. <br /> <br />The band-7 black-and-white winter image for February 26, 1975 (fig. 14), <br />was selected for interpretation of lineaments. This image was chosen because <br /> <br />28 <br />