G.I.S. Modeling of Nonpoint Source Pollution with Remotely Sensed Data

Abstract

One of the most significant uses of geographic information systems (GIS) in hydrologic investigations and water management applications is the assessment of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. Soil erosion and sedimentation contribute to NPS pollution and are controlled by variables such as land use/land cover, topography, soils and rainfall. In areas for which a spatially registered database containing these variables exists, GIS analysis techniques can be used to identify locations which contribute high amounts of sediment and other nonpoint source pollutants to the drainage network. The Center for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science (CRMS) at the University of Georgia, in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), has developed a dynamic GIS-based computer modeling approach to quantify the amount of sediment reaching Lake Allatoona, Georgia. Preliminary results for total and average gross erosion and total sediment load are presented for the region corresponding to the USGS 1:24,000 scale South Canton quadrangle. This area covers the upper third of the Jake and lies within the Lake Allatoona watershed.