Abstract Submission: In-stream trash removal via the installation of trash traps is a growing trend in stormwater management. Through their in-stream trash removal program, Chattahoochee Riverkeepers (CRK) found that the efficacy of trash traps is highly dependent on their location in the watershed. The range of environmental, social, and economic factors in the Chattahoochee River Basin (CRB) posed a challenge to determining the optimal location for trash traps. To address this problem, Arcadis, in partnership with CRK, designed a series of ArcGIS ModelBuilder tools that prioritize trash trap location by HUC12 watershed and flow lines based on socioeconomic and environmental factors like land cover and population density. These tools are replicable and can be applied to watersheds across the country, allowing in-stream litter removal programs to visualize their watershed and optimize the installation of trash traps. The tools are open source and available to all for download on CRK’s website. Through partnership with CRK in Georgia and the Haw River Assembly in North Carolina, Arcadis funded the installation of three trash traps whose locations were selected based on the model results for each watershed. Our team of four entry-level women engineers hosted trainings in North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama to ensure long-term sustainability of the model and increase community awareness of the tool. This presentation will focus on the model development, detail the range of applications of the model, and briefly discuss limitations, future improvements and lessons learned from this unique collaboration with several nonprofits.
Learning Objectives/Expected Outcome (Optional) : 1. Attendees will understand the methodology used to develop the model 2. Attendees will understand where the model is applicable and how they could apply the model in their work 3. Attendees will be familiar with important limitations of the model 4. Should they decide the model would be useful in their work, attendees will be familiar with how to improve and build upon the existing model
.jpg "Amy R. Doneff, EIT (she/her/hers) photo")
