Miguel F.Acevedo

ABSTRACTS


Assessing Pollutant Loading to Bayou Chico, Florida by Integrating an Urban Stormwater Runoff and Fate Model with GIS

In: Proceedings, Third International Conference/Workshop on Integrating GIS and Environmental Modeling, Santa Fe, NM, January 21-26, 1996. Santa Barbara, CA: National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis. CD. 1995

Toar T. Schell, Miguel F. Acevedo, Fred C. Bogs, James Newell, Kenneth L. Dickson, Institute of Applied Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton TX., and Foster L. Mayer Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze Research Laboratory, Gulf Breeze FL.

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses the integration of Geographic Information Systems(GIS) and EPA's Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) as part of a watershed approach to assessing the ecological health of Bayou Chico, which is a sub-estuary of Pensacola Bay. Bayou Chico is the receiving water body of small, mostly urbanized watershed located in southern Escambia County, Florida. Both natural channel flow of precipitation and dry weather flow through a managed drainage system contribute to pollutant loading to the bayou. The transport and fate of pollutants are thus represented as water flow through these systems. A GIS database and the use of remotely sensed satellite images are combined to determine surface characteristics, storm drainage systems, area and slope of the watershed. These data layers are in turn linked to SWMM which mathematically represents these physical characteristics and uses this information to determine both runoff and pollutant loading. We discuss data required for SWMM, and its acquisition and use in the GIS. We emphasize the GIS-model linkage with special attention given to model calibration techniques.

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