REVIEW PAPER
Assessing Non-Point Source Pollution Models:
a Review
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Civil Engineering Programme, School of Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Submission date: 2017-06-05
Final revision date: 2017-08-18
Acceptance date: 2017-08-19
Online publication date: 2018-05-09
Publication date: 2018-05-30
Corresponding author
Muthukrishna Vellaisamy Kumarasamy
Civil Engineering Programme, School of Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa, 214, Centenary Building, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 4041 Durban, South Africa
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2018;27(5):1913-1922
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ABSTRACT
Although access to clean and potable water is a requirement for healthy living, the constant release of
non-point source pollutants into water bodies has resulted in water quality degradation. In a bid to curb this
situation, water quality models are used as a tool. This study reviews 10 non-point source models, namely:
AGNPS, ANSWERS, CREAMS, SWRRB, HSPF, SWAT, EPD RIV1, DMA, CMBA, and MA, giving
consideration to their nature, components, area of use, strengths, and limitations. Our review indicated
that hydrological processes and mechanisms involved in the movement of non-point source pollutants
have not been completely developed in these models. However, HSPF and EPD RIV1 models (which
have in-stream process components) are limited due to limitations in their operations and computational
difficulties. Further research would seek to develop a non-point source pollutant model that would not only
adequately and effectively simulate non-point source pollutants in water bodies, but would also be easy to
assess, user-friendly, and time-efficient.