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Figure 3: Example loading output from the model<br />

One of the first activities typically completed during the restoration planning and<br />

implementation process is a more thorough evaluation of potential mitigation<br />

strategies. One tool that many groups in Pennsylvania use to support this activity<br />

is a software programme that operates in tandem with AVGWLF. More specifically,<br />

nutrient and sediment loadings derived via the use of AVGWLF can be used <strong>as</strong><br />

input in a companion software tool called PRedICT (Pollution Reduction Impact<br />

Comparison Tool). This tool allows the user to create various ‘scenarios’ in which<br />

current landscape conditions and pollutant loads (both point and non-point) can<br />

be compared against ‘future’ conditions that reflect the use of different pollution<br />

reduction strategies (best management practices) such <strong>as</strong> agricultural and urban<br />

BMPs, stream protection activities, and upgrading of w<strong>as</strong>tewater treatment systems.<br />

It includes pollutant reduction coefficients for nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment,<br />

and also h<strong>as</strong> built-in cost information for an <strong>as</strong>sortment of pollution mitigation<br />

techniques. The user specifies desired conditions in terms of such things <strong>as</strong> acres<br />

of agricultural BMPs used, number of septic systems to be converted to centralized<br />

w<strong>as</strong>tewater treatment, types of plant upgrades, percentage of urban are<strong>as</strong> to be<br />

treated by wetlands and detention b<strong>as</strong>ins, etc. Built-in reduction coefficients and unit<br />

costs are then utilized to calculate resultant nutrient and sediment load reductions<br />

and scenario costs.<br />

Figure 4 illustrates the type of output that can be obtained for a given watershed via<br />

the use of AVGWLF and PRedICT. Shown in this figure are ‘existing’ and ‘future’<br />

loads calculated on the b<strong>as</strong>is of a suite of proposed pollution mitigation strategies.<br />

Calculations of pollutant load reductions and <strong>as</strong>sociated costs within PRedICT are<br />

accomplished via a series of data handling algorithms and mathematical expressions<br />

written in Visual B<strong>as</strong>ic. The general approach used in most c<strong>as</strong>es is to calculate load<br />

reductions for each pollutant b<strong>as</strong>ed on the number of additional ‘units’ (e.g. acres,<br />

stream miles, per capita septic system conversions, etc.) for which the particular<br />

59

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