SWAT parameterization for the identification of critical diffuse pollution source areas under data limitations

Panagopoulos, Y; Makropoulos, C; Baltas, E; Mimikou, M

dc.contributor.author	Panagopoulos, Y	en
dc.contributor.author	Makropoulos, C	en
dc.contributor.author	Baltas, E	en
dc.contributor.author	Mimikou, M	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T01:37:11Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T01:37:11Z
dc.date.issued	2011	en
dc.identifier.issn	0304-3800	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/21475
dc.subject	Critical areas	en
dc.subject	Data limitations	en
dc.subject	Model parameterization	en
dc.subject	Nutrients	en
dc.subject	Sediments	en
dc.subject	SWAT	en
dc.subject.classification	Ecology	en
dc.subject.other	Catchment scale	en
dc.subject.other	Critical area	en
dc.subject.other	Current data	en
dc.subject.other	Data intensive	en
dc.subject.other	Data limitations	en
dc.subject.other	Data representations	en
dc.subject.other	Diffuse pollution	en
dc.subject.other	Ecological status	en
dc.subject.other	Environmental legislations	en
dc.subject.other	European Water Framework Directive	en
dc.subject.other	High-risk areas	en
dc.subject.other	Input datas	en
dc.subject.other	Model parameterization	en
dc.subject.other	Modeling approach	en
dc.subject.other	National level	en
dc.subject.other	Parameterized	en
dc.subject.other	Pollutant loss	en
dc.subject.other	Pollutant runoff	en
dc.subject.other	Pollution abatement	en
dc.subject.other	Pollution management	en
dc.subject.other	River basins	en
dc.subject.other	Seasonal variation	en
dc.subject.other	Simplifying assumptions	en
dc.subject.other	Soil water assessment tool	en
dc.subject.other	Surface water body	en
dc.subject.other	SWAT	en
dc.subject.other	SWAT model	en
dc.subject.other	Time step	en
dc.subject.other	Waterbodies	en
dc.subject.other	Anoxic sediments	en
dc.subject.other	Catchments	en
dc.subject.other	Cost effectiveness	en
dc.subject.other	Data handling	en
dc.subject.other	Geologic models	en
dc.subject.other	Laws and legislation	en
dc.subject.other	Nutrients	en
dc.subject.other	Parameterization	en
dc.subject.other	Phosphorus	en
dc.subject.other	Pollution	en
dc.subject.other	Runoff	en
dc.subject.other	Sedimentology	en
dc.subject.other	Soil moisture	en
dc.subject.other	Water conservation	en
dc.subject.other	River pollution	en
dc.subject.other	catchment	en
dc.subject.other	cost-benefit analysis	en
dc.subject.other	data processing	en
dc.subject.other	ecological modeling	en
dc.subject.other	environmental legislation	en
dc.subject.other	environmental tax	en
dc.subject.other	GIS	en
dc.subject.other	nitrogen	en
dc.subject.other	nutrient limitation	en
dc.subject.other	parameterization	en
dc.subject.other	phosphorus	en
dc.subject.other	pollutant source	en
dc.subject.other	pollution monitoring	en
dc.subject.other	river basin	en
dc.subject.other	runoff	en
dc.subject.other	seasonal variation	en
dc.subject.other	soil degradation	en
dc.subject.other	surface water	en
dc.subject.other	Greece	en
dc.title	SWAT parameterization for the identification of critical diffuse pollution source areas under data limitations	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.08.008	en
heal.identifier.secondary	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.08.008	en
heal.language	English	en
heal.publicationDate	2011	en
heal.abstract	For lowering sediment, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) pollution of surface water bodies at the catchment scale, environmental legislation require programs of pollution abatement measures. To be able to ensure the cost-effectiveness of such programs we first need to identify high risk areas, which give rise to increased pollutant runoff. Process-based GIS models provide the opportunity to identify such critical areas and hence better target diffuse pollution abatement actions. However, these models are data intensive and their spatially-distributed parameterization in poorly monitored catchments is not feasible without extensive input data pre-processing and significant simplifying assumptions. This study implements the widely-used SWAT river basin model (Soil Water Assessment Tool) to study a medium-sized Greek catchment with the typical data limitations met at the national level, in order to identify critical diffuse pollution source areas that may serve as the key areas for meeting the objective of 'good ecological status' of water bodies set by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Model parameterization and evaluation are presented along with the decisions made to overcome problems related to data representation in the catchment, in an effort to provide guidance on SWAT modeling in areas with similar characteristics. The results show that sediments and nutrients could be adequately reproduced in large time steps (monthly or seasonal) and that even with the current data limitations, the seasonal variation and the most critical areas of pollutant losses to waters could be adequately identified. The study proposes a transparent modeling approach under data limitations without neglecting possible deficiencies; however, it maintains that the SWAT model, if appropriately parameterized with respect to the land-use and soil differentiation within a limited-gauged catchment, can still facilitate the selection and placement of suitable practices across the landscape for a cost-effective diffused pollution management. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.	en
heal.publisher	ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV	en
heal.journalName	Ecological Modelling	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.08.008	en
dc.identifier.isi	ISI:000297089500004	en
dc.identifier.volume	222	en
dc.identifier.issue	19	en
dc.identifier.spage	3500	en
dc.identifier.epage	3512	en