Impact of rural water districts on land use change in Oklahoma.

Abstract

This research is concerned with land uses and land use change associated with rural water districts in Oklahoma. The objectives are: (1) to establish the land uses of selected areas of Oklahoma existing prior to the organization of rural water districts; (2) to establish current land uses of the same selected areas; (3) to compare land use changes of rural water district areas to land use changes of associated control areas; and, (4) to recommend appropriate approaches to reduce the conversion of present agricultural land to non-agricultural purposes.

Aerial photographs for time periods prior to rural water district development compared with aerial photographs updated by means of field mapping of the same sampled areas revealed basic changes have occurred in the land uses of rural Oklahoma. Land use change analysis indicates that the traditional rural character of Oklahoma is slowly changing, especially where rural water districts have made potable water supplies for domestic purposes available. In these areas population is increasing as new housing units are being constructed. At the same time, other land uses are also changing, at least in part, as a result of this population growth, and potential for future population growth. These population increases and resulting urban-like growth have created major and uncoordinated changes in the land use patterns of rural Oklahoma. The major source of land for this urban-like expansion has been agricultural in nature. A sequence from cropland to pasture (idle in many cases) to residential is well developed in rural water districts.