The Impact of Non-Point Source (NPS) Management on Non-Point Source Reduction and Water Cycle Improvement in an Urban Area

Jinsun Kim, Jimin Lee, Minji Park (), Joong-Hyuk Min, Jong Mun Lee, Heeseon Jang and Eun Hye Na
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Jinsun Kim: Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
Jimin Lee: Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
Minji Park: Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
Joong-Hyuk Min: Geum River Environment Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, Okcheon 29027, Republic of Korea
Jong Mun Lee: Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
Heeseon Jang: Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
Eun Hye Na: Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 3, 1-26

Abstract: Suwon, the capital and largest city of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, was designated as a non-point source management area in 2010. The management period ended in 2020, so follow-up measures are needed. In this study, we investigated several projects implemented in Suwon for urban water cycle improvement and non-point source pollution reduction, and the long-term management effects were analyzed to suggest policy directions such as the revision of designation notices. During the 10-year management period in Suwon, the population and lot area continued to increase, and the non-point source-based annual Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) discharge loads also increased by approximately 25% at the half sub-basins Hwangguji-cheon and Woncheonri-cheon in 2020 compared to 2010. Even under these conditions, statistical analyses show that the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Phosphorus (TP) concentrations monitored at the outlet of basin were decreased due to the promotion of a large-scale sewer management project as well as non-point source pollution reduction projects. Also, the field monitoring data-based Load Duration Curve (LDC) analysis results indicate that the loads decreased in the high-flow period of 2020 compared to 2015. Also, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values calculated using satellite images since 2017 tended to increase slightly during the period when the impervious area estimated using the land registration map increased. It is assumed that using the current calculation method for impervious areas has limitations regarding its ability to reflect changes in the small-scale Low-Impact Development (LID) facility and in ecological/landscape areas. On the other hand, the annual variation in direct runoff estimated at the outlet using three hydrograph separation methods did not show any improvement with regard to storm water retention during the management period. These results reveal that the effects on urban water cycle improvement, such as peak flow reduction and base flow increase, may not be noticeable despite some progress in reducing non-point source pollution and increasing green area. Therefore, additional efforts directed towards non-point source pollution management focused on water cycle improvement are required in the city, especially in the sub-basins with higher pollution loads such as Hwangguji-cheon and Seoho-cheon.

Keywords: non-point source (NPS); water cycle; watershed modeling; NPS reduction; management of urban area (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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