Volume Analysis for Attainability of Water Qualuty Criteria for Three Loading Constitutents

This paper presents a method to analyze the outputs of an estuarine water quality model to determine the attainability of water quality criteria for designated-use-areas in the Chesapeake Bay estuary using different levels of reduction of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads. From a set of water quality model scenarios with different nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sediment (S) loads, a relationship between a water quality index (W) and the loading-constitutents N-P-S, i.e., W = f(N,P,S), in a designated-use-area, can be established through regression. In a designated-use-area, we may obtain a percentage of non-attainment (or violation, V) of a water quality criterion accumulated over time and water-volume versus the entire simulated time and volume for a model scenario. From a ser of model scenarios, a relationship between W and V, i.e., W = g(V), can be established. The value of the water quality index (Wo) equivalent to near-zero violation (Vo) of the criteria can be projected, i.e., Wo = g(Vo). Using W = Wo as a constraint for the function W = f(N, P, S), we can plot a 3-dimenstional surface of minimum water quality attainment, Wo, versus N, P, and S loads for the designated-use-area. This surface divides the 3-dimensional N-P-S “loading volume” into regions of attainment and non-attainment of the water quality criterion in the designated-use-are. This plot can be used to analyze tradeoffs among N-P-S load restrictions that still ensure attainment of the water quality criteria, providing useful information for optimal nutrient and sediment controls in water quality management.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0784407347
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  1801 Alexander Bell Drive
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Wang, Ping
  • Linkder, Lewis
  • Collier, James
  • Shenk, Gary
  • Koroncai, Robert
  • Batiuk, Richard
• Conference:
  • Estuarine and Coastal Modeling. Eighth International Conference
  • Location: Monterey California, United States
  • Date: 2003-11-3 to 2003-11-5
• Publication Date: 2004

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 695-712
• Monograph Title: Estuarine and Coastal Modeling

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Estuaries; Loads; Nitrogen; Phosphorus; Regression analysis; Sediments; Simulation; Volumetric analysis; Water quality; Water quality management
• Geographic Terms: Chesapeake Bay
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01005922
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0784407347
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 14 2005 1:27PM