Identifying Critical Areas of Urban Water Pollution Using a GIS

Kim, Kyehyun; Jung, Dongil; Kim, Juwan; Choi, Jungdan; Sung, Mangyu; Ha, Sungryong

Environmental Engineering Research 1997;2(2): 73-81.

Kyehyun Kim¹^†, Dongil Jung², Juwan Kim³, Jungdan Choi³, Mangyu Sung³, and Sungryong Ha⁴

¹Department of Geoinformatic Engineering, Inha University, Yonghyundong, Inchon, Korea 402-751
²National Institute of Environmental Research, Bulkwangdong 280-17, Eunpyunggu, Seoul, Korea 122
³Systems Engineering Research Institute, P.O.Pox 1, Yusung, Taejon, Korea 305-333
⁴Department of City Planning, Chungbuk National University, Chongju, Chungbuk, Korea 360-763

Corresponding Author: Kyehyun Kim ,Tel: +82-32-860-7602 , Email: kyehyun @dragon.inha.ac.kr

Received: July 6, 1996; Accepted: April 6, 1997.

ABSTRACT

Geographical Information System (GIS) was used to estimate the magnitude of water pollution from an area with major land uses of urban and agricultural in South Han River watershed. A digital elevation model (DEM) made from SPOT satellite imagery was used to delineate sub-basin boundaries. GIS coverages and attributes for the individual sub-basin areas were generated to obtain the data necessary for estimating point and nonpoint pollutant loadings. Point source loadings were mainly counted from population, industry, livestock, and wastewater treatment plants while nonpoint source loadings were counted from land use activities. Major pollutant loadings of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Nitrogen (TN), and Total Phosphorus (TP) were calculated for each sub-basin to identify' the critical areas with higher pollutant loadings. An analysts of pollutant loadings was made to identify major factors contributing to pollutant loadings.

Keywords: Geographical Information System | DEM | Coverage | Point Source Pollution | Nonpoint Source Pollutioa