Citation:

Shireman, J., K. Ratliff, AND A. Mikelonis. Modeling radionuclide transport in urban overland flow: A case study. Urban Water Journal. Taylor & Francis Group, London, Uk, 19(2):130-140, (2022). https://doi.org/10.1080/1573062X.2021.1968007

Impact/Purpose:

This journal article is intended for storm water modelers and emergency managers. It addresses the environmental issue of widespread radionuclide contamination's migration after different sized rain events. The paper contains a case study that demonstrates how to set up an overland flow model to monitor wash off of radionuclides in an urban environment. This work helps prepare and respond to major disasters by demonstrating how to map the flow paths of contamination for sampling and monitoring efforts.

Description:

This paper presents the process used to develop an overland flow model of radionuclide transport following an aerosol deposition from a hypothetical radiological dispersal device explosion. The process included the integration of digital elevation, building, and land cover information with hydrologic information from a calibrated Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) model. The overland flow model was used to explore the impact of washoff parameter selection and different storm events on radionuclide transport in surface flow. The range of washoff parameters used from the literature resulted in over a 7 times difference in radionuclide washoff, from a small surface removal to nearly full removal. The overland flow model illuminated the primary pathways of contaminant transport, a potentially useful tool that informs emergency response, planning, and remediation activities.

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