A GENERIC TOOL FOR EVALUATING THE UTILITY OF SELECTED POLLUTION MITIGATION STRATEGIES WITHIN A WATERSHED

A software application for evaluating the implementation of both agricultural and non-agricultural pollution reduction strategies at the watershed level has recently been developed. This new tool, called PRedICT (Pollution Reduction Impact Comparison Tool), allows the user to create various “scenarios” in which current landscape conditions and pollutant loads (both point and non-point) can be compared against “future” conditions that reflect the use of different pollution reduction strategies (best management practices) such as agricultural and urban BMPs, the conversion of septic systems to centralized wastewater treatment, and upgrading of treatment plants from primary to secondary to tertiary. This tool includes pollutant reduction coefficients for nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment, and also has built-in cost information for an assortment of BMPs and wastewater upgrades.