base mapping and water assessment

Base Mapping&

Water AnalysisMichelle Kuckelman

Homestead Site

Images from Google Earth

Location: Georgetown, TX Urban setting, in close proximity to the

city’s courthouse and major shopping, dining, and recreational activities

Size: ~ ¾ acre or 32,875 square feet

Homestead Site

Base Map

To create my base map, I downloaded and used Google Earth. I have a touch screen laptop which allowed me to lay the screen down flat and trace directly from my computer. This was a very quick method and the map came out to scale. I traced onto 11x17in translucent vellum paper. The main challenge I faced was learning how to use Google Earth since I had no previous experience with it.

Mapping process

Yearly Precipitation: 34in. rain, 1in. Snow Distribution: evenly distributed throughout

year Local Watershed: San Gabriel Watershed

Water Analysis

Image provided by United States Environmental Protective Agency

Location of site in watershed

Weather info from U.S. Climate Data

Sources:https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/G/GEORGETOWN.htmlwww.sprinklerwarehouse.com

Analysis continued… Soil characteristics

◦ Clay Loam

◦ Well drained with slow permeability◦ Impervious soil layer of fractured indurated limestone

bedrock present 35-47 inches below the surface

Average depth of high water table: 143.57 ft

Image from www.sprinklerwarehouse.com

Map Layer•Base map with water analysis overlay

At this point I feel good about my site and the possibilities it holds. It is a blank slate, so I get to be creative when planning my homestead. This is also a challenge because it’s hard to figure out where to start. There is no house or other existing structures on the land, only a few trees. This piece of land is right in the city, so I want to include aspects that will draw people in for learning opportunities and community connection. Overall I am very excited about my homestead site!

Conclusion