Title: Estimation of build-up and wash-off models parameters for an east-Australian catchment

Authors: Monzur A. Imteaz; Iqbal Hossain; Mohammed Iqbal Hossain

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia ' Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia ' Gold Coast City Council, PO Box 5042, Gold Coast, QLD 9729, Australia

Abstract: This paper presents calibration of a catchment water quality model for continuous simulation of the water quality parameters from a catchment to the catchment outlet. The model is an integration of two sub-models: the hydrologic model and the water quality model. The hydrologic model estimates the amount of surface water runoff generated from the catchment during the storm event/events. The water quality model estimates the transportation of the pollutants (total nitrogen, total phosphorus and suspended solids) from a particular catchment. The water quality model integrates two sub-processes: pollutants build-up and pollutants wash-off. The model calculates separate build-up and wash-off from pervious and impervious catchment surfaces. Rainfall and water quality data were collected for the Hotham creek catchment in Gold Coast, Australia. Runoff calculations from hydrologic model were compared with calculated discharges through widely used Australian models WBNM and DRAINS. Finally, based on measured water quality data, model water quality parameters were calibrated for the above-mentioned catchment.

Keywords: model parameters; water quality; total nitrogen; total phosphorus; suspended solids; hydrological modelling; pollutant build-up; pollutant wash-off; continuous simulation; hydrology; water pollution; surface water runoff; storm events; pollutant transport; rainfall data; Gold Coast; Australia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2014.057784

International Journal of Water, 2014 Vol.8 No.1, pp.48 - 62

Received: 04 Jul 2011
Accepted: 19 Apr 2012
Published online: 16 Oct 2014 *

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