Watershed Modeling Pinpoints Pollution Hotspots, Empowering Targeted Environmental Action
To find places where polluted water runs off land, this study used a model called TOPLATS in a 17.5 square kilometer area in Oklahoma. They wanted to see how water behaved during big storms. The model showed that as storms got stronger, more areas produced runoff, especially from farmland. By looking at how water moved across the land, they could pinpoint spots with the most runoff pollution potential. TOPLATS helps analyze where polluted runoff could come from and how to manage it better in watersheds. The study suggests this kind of model could help improve water quality projects by focusing on areas where runoff is a big problem.