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<br />-16- <br /> <br />Thus, the complete set of basic morphometric data for each watershed <br /> <br /> <br />includes area, perimeter, total length of stream channels, length of the <br /> <br /> <br />main channel, and a coded vector of network composition. All of these <br /> <br />properties are potentially important in evaluating the hydrologic re- <br />sponse to urbanization because they represent the spatial pattern within <br />which hydrologic processes occur and reflect the amount and time distri- <br />bution of runoff. The drainage network of the Neponset basin is presen- <br />ted in Figure 4 on which both the Strahler ordering and the coded network <br />vector are shown. This unusual and irregular channel pattern is fairly <br /> <br />typical of the glacial terrain in the study area. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Surficial Materials <br />Information concerning the character of the land surface within each <br />watershed was derived from a combination of topographic map interpreta- <br />tion and U.S. Geological Survey surficial geologic quadrangles. Areas <br />in Rhode Island were evaluated by means of groundwater maps which closely <br />correspond with the surficial geology. Soils maps of the U.S. Soil <br />Conservation Service were not utilized because of their reliance on cri- <br /> <br />teria other than texture. No uniform data source exists which would pro- <br /> <br />vide complete coverage of the study area at a suitable scale, hence some <br /> <br />interpretation of landforms was clearly necessary. Previous experience <br /> <br />of many workers (J.H. Hartshorn, personal communication) has demonstrated <br /> <br />the excellent correspondence between landforms and surficial deposits in <br /> <br />this region. That is, the pattern of individual deposits is a complex <br />mosaic in which the differing topographic expression of particular kinds <br />of material, such as sand and gravel, has been closely controlled by <br /> <br />different processes associated with deposition. For example, kame deltas <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br />