Sediment and Nutrient Modeling for TMDL Development and Implementation

This paper presents a critical review of models simulating sediment and nutrients in watersheds and receiving waters that have potential for use with TMDL development and implementation. The water quality models discussed, especially those with sediment and/or nutrient components include two loading models, five receiving water models, and nine watershed models having both loading and receiving simulation capabilities. Other potential TMDL models are also mentioned. Applications of some of the models, including in TMDL studies, are presented. The models proved to be useful, however, still a learning process. Recommendations are offered for advancing the sediment and nutrient, as well as their basic hydrologic, modeling technologies as applied to TMDL development and implementation. An extended abstract of the paper is presented here while the full-length paper has been accepted for publication in the Transactions of the ASABE.