Over the course of the next several weeks, the AKRF team will be developing pollution reduction targets for the watershed, and modeling the reduction capabilities of the projects proposed as part of the watershed-based plan. This process will help to focus management actions based on the cost and efficiency of the proposed projects. In addition to pollution reduction values associated with place-based practices, the final plan will also include general percent removal factors typically associated with non-structural activities (land use change, wildlife management, etc).
To determine load reduction targets, we will use WinSLAMM software to establish baseline conditions for each sub-watershed. Baseline conditions will be defined by pollutant loads associated with a watershed comprised of woods in good condition. Our reduction targets for N, P, TSS, and fecal coliform will be the difference in loading between the existing condition models (Phase I) and the baseline condition models.
Research by Dr. Robert Pitt of the University of Alabama provides the basis for the WinSLAMM modeling approach.
Where sample data is available and bacterial impairments are designated, the statistical roll-back method will be used to establish bacterial reductions for each area upstream of an impairment. This method is commonly used in the development of Total Maximum Daily Loads that use measured in-stream concentrations to assign percent reduction values to total loading.
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