Title: | Modeling the impact of land use change on basin-scale transfer of fecal indicator bacteria: SWAT model performance |
Authors: | Kim, M., L. Boithias, K.H. Cho, O. Sengtaheuanghoung and O. Ribolzi |
Year: | 2018 |
Journal: | Journal of Environmental Quality |
Volume (Issue): | |
Pages: | |
Article ID: | |
DOI: | 10.2134/jeq2017.11.0456 |
URL (non-DOI journals): | |
Model: | SWAT |
Broad Application Category: | hydrologic and pollutant |
Primary Application Category: | pathogen fate and transport |
Secondary Application Category: | hydrologic assessment |
Watershed Description: | 0.6 km^2 Houay Pano drainage area, located in northern Lao PDR. |
Calibration Summary: | |
Validation Summary: | |
General Comments: | |
Abstract: | Land use change from annual crops to commercial tree plantations
can modify flow and transport processes at the watershed scale,
including the fate and transport of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB),
such as Escherichia coli. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool
(SWAT) is a useful means for integrating watershed characteristics
and simulating water and contaminants. The objective of this
study was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the impact
of land use change on microbial transfer from soils to streams
using the SWAT model. This study was conducted for the Houay
Pano watershed located in northern Lao People’s Democratic
Republic. Under the observed weather conditions, the SWAT
model predicted a decrease from 2011 to 2012 and an increase
from 2012 to 2013 in surface runoff, suspended solids, and E.
coli transferred from the soil surface to streams. The amount of
precipitation was important in simulating surface runoff, and it
subsequently affected the fate and transport of suspended solids
and bacteria. In simulations of identical weather conditions and
different land uses, E. coli fate and transport was more sensitive to
the initial number of E. coli than to its drivers (i.e., surface runoff
and suspended solids), and leaf area index was a significant
factor influencing the determination of the initial number of E.
coli on the soil surface. On the basis of these findings, this study
identifies several limitations of the SWAT fertilizer and bacteria
modules and suggests measures to improve our understanding
of the impacts of land use change on FIB in tropical watersheds. |
Language: | English |
Keywords: | |