Using high-frequency monitoring data to quantify city-wide suspended-sediment load and evaluate TMDL goals

• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11905-3
• Publication Date: 2023-10-26T01:01:55Z
• Authors: Samuel A. Miller; James S. Webber; John D. Jastram; Marcus F. Aguilar
• Keywords: Impervious surface

Excess sediment is a common reason water bodies in the USA become listed as impaired resulting total maximum daily loads (TMDL) that require municipalities to invest millions of dollars annually on management practices aimed at reducing suspended-sediment (SSLs), yet monitoring data are rarely used quantify SSLs and track TMDL progress. A network was created SSL from City Roanoke, Virginia, (CoR), Roanoke River Tinker Creek help guide assessment implementation. Suspended-sediment concentrations were estimated between 2020 2022 high-frequency turbidity using surrogate linear-regression models. Sixty-one percent three-year resulted five large storm events. The average yield CoR (58.1 metric tons/km2/year) similar other urban watersheds Eastern United States; however, nearly times larger than allocation (12.2 tons/km2/year). allocated load modeled based predominantly forested reference watershed may not be practical target for highly impervious within CoR. model input which likely does capture full range during events, particularly flashy streams. following events doubled CoR's annual TMDL. results this study highlight importance accurately estimate evaluate TMDLs areas.