Figure 2 indicates the land-use patterns in the Otsego Lake watershed in Otsego County (Komorowski, 1994) on July 30, 1988 ( satellite fly over). The total catchment area of Otsego Lake is 18,811 ha (72.6 square miles). Forty-four percent of the watershed is utilized for some type of agriculture, 36% is forest dominated by second-growth hardwoods (birch, beech, maple in the south; american ash, hickory and their associates occur in areas of less relief in the northern portions of the watershed). Conifer forest comprises 2.4% and brushland 14.5%. Residential, industrial, and commercial use (indicated as "settlements") and t ransportation cover 0.86% of the available land area. The balance is wetlands and water bodies. The lands utilized most intensively for agriculture are those derived from local limestones. Nutrient runoff inherent in those soils is greatly enhanced by this type of use. Tables 5a and 5b describe land cover by sub-drainage basin, acreage and percent of the watershed.