Pollutant Loading Estimates from Watershed by Rating Curve Method and SWMM

Rating curve method and SWMM (Storm Water Management Model) were applied to estimate pollutant loading from Hwa-Ong watershed in Kyunggi-Do. Rating curves were derived from sampling sites and applied to the whole watershed. SWMM version 4.4 was calibrated by field data of sampling sites and applied to the whole watershed. The pollutant loading estimated by rating curve was slightly higher than the one by SWMM, but the difference was not significant considering diffuse pollution characteristics of wide variation. Land use effect of the subcatchments could not be incorporated logically in rating curve method and difficulty in extrapolation was experienced, therefore, the estimate by rating curve method was thought to be less confident. SWMM was satisfactory in estimation of pollution loading, and its great flexibility worked well to describe complex nonurban land uses. Neither of them could exactly describe complex natural phenomena, but SWMM was preferred in this study due to its flexibility and logical hydrologic processes including land use effects. Use of reasonable watershed model rather than rating curve method for watershed pollutant loading estimate can be more practical and is recommended.