Abstract

The environmental impacts on the proposed area for the sPower solar panels has been a primary concern from the citizens of Spotsylvania County during the special use permit process. This project will discuss the function of watersheds, specifically within the sPower Spotsylvania County solar panel farm sites, to effectively present the findings from sPower’s permitting process and the concerned citizens of Spotsylvania to answer the following questions: How do the sPower solar farm watersheds function, what are their vulnerabilities, and how is sPower addressing them? The information presented is a collection and analysis of data using ArcGIS software and written documents to promote the construction of the proposed solar farm in Spotsylvania County. I will be examining the effects that the project will have on the watersheds and groundwater within the proposed sites through a watershed integrity and sustainability lens. This framework will allow me to define the major components of a watershed, why it is important to maintain, and how to additionally identify the vulnerabilities within a watershed. Specifically, this paper will discuss the hydrology of the watersheds of the proposed sites, including the potential impacts on Fawn Lake.

Paper prepared for the Environmental Studies Senior Seminar.

Faculty Advisor: Dr. David Kitchen

Document Type

Unpublished Paper

Publication Date

4-30-2019

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