Nonpoint Source Pollution Monitoring Program Design

Abstract

This paper describes a computer‐aided methodology designed to aid in the determination of water quality and ecological change resulting from nonpoint sources of water pollution. The nonpoint monitoring program design conceptual model developed by the writers involves the following steps: (1) The definition of monitoring program objectives to guide data‐collection efforts; (2) a choice of levels of detail to apply in carrying out the various steps of the procedure; (3) a watershed analysis to identify locations of the potentially most critical pollutant loadings; (4) the development of a monitoring program to detect and verify statistically the source or sources of a nonpoint pollution problem; and (5) prioritization of monitoring tasks with reference to trie program objectives. Spreadsheet software with graphics is used to simplify the watershed analysis. FORTRAN programs are applied to facilitate the design of alternative sampling programs and to prioritize the tasks. A case study example on the Stillaguamish River Basin in Washington State is presented to demonstrate an application of the model.