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SAMPLING AND MODELING OF NON-POINT SOURCES AT A COAL-FIRED UTILITY
Citation:
Brookman, G. SAMPLING AND MODELING OF NON-POINT SOURCES AT A COAL-FIRED UTILITY. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/2-77/199.
Description:
The report gives results of a measurement and modeling program for nonpoint sources (NPS) from two coal-fired utility plants, and the impact of NPS on receiving waters. The field measurement survey, performed at two utility plants in Pennsylvania, included measurement of overland runoff from NPS and river sampling upstream and downstream of each plant site. NPS sampled were storm water runoff and leachate from coal storage piles and runoff from impervious areas such as parking lots and roofs which were covered with dust fallout from coal and ash handling operations. A mathematical model was developed to simulate both the quantity and quality of industrial NPS pollution and its impact on receiving waters. Field data indicated that NPS pollution from utilities had little impact on the two rivers, compared to the impact from sources upstream of each site. Modeled results compared to field measurements within a factor of 4 for both the quantity and quality of storm water runoff and its impact on the quality of the receiving waters. Field survey results indicate that, for a cost-effective program, sampling must be supplemented with modeling (the modeling results indicate that the developed model can be used with a minimum of field data to successfully simulate industrial NPS pollution and its impact on receiving waters for the utility industry). (Portions of this document are not fully legible)