Remote sensing techniques have proven utility to a wide range of planning problems. This research explores the adoption and application of remote sensing techniques by Virginia planning agencies. All planning agencies within the Commonwealth were sent a Remote Sensing Utilization Questionnaire. Survey results indicate that adoption of remote sensing products is low at all 1evels of planning; that most agency characteristics, e.g. staff size, budget, are not correlated with utilization; and, the lack of remote sensor adoption and use appears to be a result of the lack of remote sensor education among Virginia planners. Research results suggest also that the demand for information concerning remote sensor applications to planning problems is high among Virginia planners at all levels of planning. A high proportion of respondents at all planning levels stated that they would like additional remote sensing/planning applications information; would like more remote sensing/planning applications articles in professional planning journals; and, would send a representative to a remote sensing/planning applications conference if the conference were held within the state. Research results define major programmatic roles for federal and state agencies involved with remote sensor technologies and Virginia colleges and universities with remote sensing capabilities. / D.E.D.P.

The purpose of this research was to explore the potential of using LANDSAT MSS data in the study of land use/cover patterns and turbidity relationships within the Lake Anna watershed. Two premises of this research are that a relationship exists between land use/cover patterns and turbidity levels, and that LANDSAT MSS data can be used to study this relationship. Turbidity levels within Lake Anna were estimated by the chromaticity technique used by Munday et al and were correlated to two groups of ground-based data -- surface turbidity levels and the product of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). Estimated turbidity levels correlated moderately well with surface data, but only a slight relationship could be established between land use/cover patterns and estimated turbidity. Possible explanations for these results were grouped into two categories, practical and conceptual problems. Practical problems were defined as data collection problems and included LANDSAT system and data accuracy problems. Conceptual problems were problems based on theoretical issues of using LANDSAT MSS data to study relationships between land use/cover patterns and turbidity levels. Conceptual problems remained even after the practical problems were solved. The accomplishments of this research included the application of chromaticity analysis to small man-made reservoirs, further exploration of the relationship between land use/cover patterns, and turbidity levels, and extension of LANDSAT MSS data in watershed management. Most importantly, this research exposed some of the limitations in using LANDSAT MSS data to study relationships between land use/cover patterns and turbidity levels. / Master of Science

M.S.