Assessing the impact of urbanization on runoff and non-point source pollution using the GIS L-THIA

GIS L-THIA를 이용한 도시화에 따른 유출과 비점원오염 영향 평가

It is important to consider the effects of land-use changes on surface runoff, stream flow, and groundwater recharge. Expansion of urban areas significantly impacts the environment in terms of ground water recharge, water pollution, and storm water drainage. Increase of impervious area due to urbanization leads to an increase in surface runoff volume, contributes to downstream flooding and a net loss in groundwater recharge. Assessment of the hydrologic impacts or urban land-use change traditionally includes models that evaluate how land use change alters peak runoff rates, and these results are then used in the design of drainage systems. Such methods however do not address the long-term hydrologic impacts of urban land use change and often do not consider how pollutants that wash off from different land uses affect water quality. L-THIA (Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment) is an analysis tool that provides site-specific estimates of changes in runoff, recharge and non point source pollution resulting from past or proposed land-use changes. It gives long-term average annual runoff for a land use configuration, based on climate data for that area. In this study, the environmental and hydrological impact from the urbanized basin had been examined with GIS L-THIA in Korea.