The Inequitable Distribution of the Urban Heat Island in Dallas County, TX

Abstract

The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect is a phenomenon where an urban area has a higher Land Surface Temperature (LST) than surrounding rural areas due to human activities. This phenomenon is caused by the increasing urbanization and the removal of green vegetation. The combination of urbanization and climate change has intensified the UHI within urban areas. Certain urban areas can see slightly higher UHI temperatures than other urban areas due to certain demographic, socioeconomic, and land-use factors. This study sought to see how the UHI effect is being distributed within Dallas County, TX. Dallas County has the 8th largest city in the United States which is the city of Dallas. The City of Dallas was one of the cities within the United States that was redlined by the US government. Redlining was the practice that was used to bar minorities from moving into predominantly white communities and obtaining financial resources. This study used data from the Landsat 8 satellite to determine the UHI within Dallas County and how it is being distributed within certain demographic, socioeconomic, land-use, and historical practices. The assessment was done at the census tract level to determine if tracts with higher UHI had differences in the covariates. Thru the assessment, predominantly White areas, with a high median household income, and have areas graded by the Home Owner Loan Corporation (HOLC) as “Best” or “Still Desirable” had a lower UHI temperature. While areas that are predominantly Black or Hispanic with a high poverty rate, a large percentage of areas covered by impervious surfaces, and have areas graded by HOLC as “Definitely Declining” or “Hazardous” have a higher UHI temperature.