Abstract

A Land Use Aggregation Optimization Strategy for GIS-Based Water Quality
Track: Education
Author(s): Jingfen Sheng

Numerous water quality models have been developed and introduced to simulate stream flow, sediments, and constituent loadings based on the relationship between land use activities and water quality processes occurring within a watershed. Some of the most important and widely used GIS- based models are AGNPS (AGricultural Non-Point Source; Young et al. 1989), HSPF (Hydrologic Simulation Program-Fortran; Bicknell et al. 1996), and SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool; Arnold et al. 1994). Land use, soils, topography, meteorological characteristics and non-point sources are essential to the simulation of various constituents of concern. The fundamental issues that arise in this sort of land use driven water quality modeling are: (1) Land use spatial aggregation at what scale is sufficient for representing spatially heterogeneous water quality sampling and land use associated water quality change?; (2) Do we need a watershed specific land use classification scheme or could a general classification scheme support water quality modeling?; and (3) How can we use fine-scale non-point and point source data to improve the land use aggregation strategy and provide some useful indicators to generate a sufficiently fine-scale and robust land use classification scheme? The current study provides guidelines for local water quality monitoring projects in terms of the locations that need to be monitored, offers insights into the configuration of the land use component(s) in GIS-based water quality modeling studies, and shows how water quality estimation and prediction can be improved with better land use classifications and on-site monitoring strategies.

Jingfen Sheng
University of Southern California
3620 South Vermont Avenue
KAP 444
Los Angeles , California 90089
United States
Phone: (213) 821-1313
E-mail: sheng@usc.edu