• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2005

This paper presents a waste load allocation study for the Incheon coastal environment, where a computer model, called AQUASEA, was applied. A finite element mesh was constructed and refined to cover the complicated geometry of Incheon coastal sea. The tidal height at 13 places of Incheon coastal boundary and flow of the Han River were given as an input condition to the tidal simulation. All pollution sources that discharge into Incheon coast were given as input data to the water quality simulation. The modeled parameters include tidal flow and COD(Chemical Oxygen Demand). The model was calibrated and verified with the field measurements. The model results showed reasonable agreements with field measurements in both tidal flow and water quality. Systems analysis showed that the pollution load from the Han River caused recognizable impacts on the water quality of Incheon coast from Yeomhwa waterway to northern area of Younghungdo. The loads from Incheon City affected water quality from the area below Youngjongdo to the area above Jawalldo. The discharge from the Sihwa Lake caused discernible impacts on the coastal zone from the dike outlet to the Incheon harbor, and pollution loads from Kyungkido affected the sea near the Oido. An effective water quality management plan was developed from the waste load allocation analysis of the validated model, that the maximum waste loads can be discharged without violating the water quality standard given in the Incheon coastal environment.