Model for Predicting Effects of Land-Use Changes on the Canal-Mediated Discharge of Total Suspended Solids into Tidal Creeks and Estuaries

• Published in: Journal of environmental engineering (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 137; no. 10; pp. 920 - 927
• Main Authors: King, Jeffrey K, Blanton, Jackson O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reston, VA American Society of Civil Engineers 01.10.2011
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and physicochemical phenomena; Continental surface waters; Exact sciences and technology; Natural water pollution; Pollution; TECHNICAL PAPERS; Water treatment and pollution; Correlation; Rivers and streams; Prediction; Estuaries; Modeling; Coastal zone; Land use; South Carolina; GIS; Rain; Correlation analysis; Loading; Geographic information system; Suspended solids; Stream; Water pollution; Hydrologic models; Water resources; Geographic information systems
• ISSN: 0733-9372; 1943-7870
• DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0000396

The Land Use Input Canal Output Model (LUICOM) was created for the purpose of predicting canal-mediated, total suspended solids (TSS) loading in receiving estuaries. Tidal flushing (related to the tidal prism) within a subject estuary (i.e., Yellow Bluff Creek) was also evaluated. Estimates of flushing times were based on those estimated for Georgia and South Carolina creeks that have better coverage of hypsometric data. Two rain events were sampled for this effort, and TSS concentrations predicted by LUICOM compared favorably with observed values. With subsidence of each rain event, TSS concentrations gradually decreased to baseline concentration in the receiving estuary. Moreover, LUICOM provided a reasonable estimate of the time of peak TSS. The results of this study suggest that TSS measured in the subject canal and creek increase as the result of significant rain events (>1.0 in. in 3 h). The correlation between model-derived and measured TSS values suggest LUICOM could be used to evaluate changes in a basin’s land use as it relates to predicting subsequent increases in TSS discharges. The simplicity of the model makes it an ideal tool for resource managers concerned with changes in land use within coastal areas.