1985 1997 Change
Low-Intensity Urban 96 117 +21 sq.mi.
High-Intensity Urban 20 31 +11 sq.mi.
Water 36 41 +5 sq.mi.
Golf/Parks 4 6 +2 sq.mi.
Cultivated 70 67 –3 sq.mi.
Woodland/Shrubland 219 216 –3 sq.mi.
Bare Land 29 25 –4 sq.mi.
Deciduous Forest 71 67 –4 sq.mi.
Cedar 108 100 –8 sq.mi.
Grasslands 370 351 –19 sq.mi.
In 12 years we’ve seen a 28% increase in urbanized land (from 116 square miles to 148 square miles).
Low-intensity urban land represents about 50% impervious cover, while high-intensity land is about 90% impervious cover.
Of the 11 square miles of high-intensity land added since 1985, 38% are a transfer from the low-intensity class; that leaves some seven square miles that were developed from the ground up.
This article appears in January 14 • 2000.