The use of integrated models in the analysis of receiving water bodies is now a frequent practice that allows to evaluate the link between polluting sources and their impact on natural water quality. Integrated water quality models simulate the interactions between urban drainage systems, wastewater treatment plant, natural catchment and the receiving water body. The most common applications in Europe are aimed to the analysis of rivers being characterised by more numerous polluting discharges, especially from urban areas, and by lower self-depuration capacity. From a modelling perspective, one-dimensional receiving water bodies can be analysed by the application of several established numerical models that can be easily integrated with the models analysing the urban drainage system and the wastewater treatment plant. The application of integrated models to complex receiving water bodies, such as lakes or costal areas, is still a demanding task that is often by-passed by means of simplifying hypotheses. In the present paper, an integrated approach was applied to the simulation of a costal urban drainage system discharging directly in the sea in front of a delicate environmental protection area in Sicily (Italy). The receiving water body was simulated by means of a complete 3-D hydrodynamic and diffusion/dispersion model that was adopted because of the complexity of the bathymetry and currents in the area.

Integrated water quality modeling in coastalurban areas with three-dimensional receiving water bodies

DE MARCHIS, MAURO;FRENI, GABRIELE
2011-01-01

Abstract

The use of integrated models in the analysis of receiving water bodies is now a frequent practice that allows to evaluate the link between polluting sources and their impact on natural water quality. Integrated water quality models simulate the interactions between urban drainage systems, wastewater treatment plant, natural catchment and the receiving water body. The most common applications in Europe are aimed to the analysis of rivers being characterised by more numerous polluting discharges, especially from urban areas, and by lower self-depuration capacity. From a modelling perspective, one-dimensional receiving water bodies can be analysed by the application of several established numerical models that can be easily integrated with the models analysing the urban drainage system and the wastewater treatment plant. The application of integrated models to complex receiving water bodies, such as lakes or costal areas, is still a demanding task that is often by-passed by means of simplifying hypotheses. In the present paper, an integrated approach was applied to the simulation of a costal urban drainage system discharging directly in the sea in front of a delicate environmental protection area in Sicily (Italy). The receiving water body was simulated by means of a complete 3-D hydrodynamic and diffusion/dispersion model that was adopted because of the complexity of the bathymetry and currents in the area.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11387/10911
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