Watershed Evaluation Tool About the Watershed Evaluation Tool
The watershed assessment tools included on this site were
developed in a effort to provide a simple “calculator-type” tools
that would enable users to estimate potential impacts of urbanization
on water quality within any given watershed in Pennsylvania and then
expanded to include the entire Chesapeake Bay Basin.
Algorithms utilized
within this tool were based upon statistical regressions developed using
data sets currently available at Penn State University, including statewide “impervious
surface area (ISA)” maps developed by Dr.
Toby Carlson and water quality data compiled by Dr.
Barry M. Evans. In addition to predicting what nutrient and sediment
loads might be under various land use/cover conditions within a watershed,
this tool also provides qualitative information on the degree of “impaction” experienced
in the watershed based on threshold values for sediment and nutrient
loads derived by Penn State and others in previous studies. In addition
to the water quality tool, another module has been included to estimate
surface runoff volume and peak runoff for a selected watershed. Follow
the links below to learn more about these tools.
Watershed Evaluation documentation
To read this .pdf file:
PC - Right-click on the link and select "Save Link As".
Mac - Control-click on the link to save.
About the Tool | How to use | Begin Analysis