ISPRS, Vol.34, Part 2W2, “Dynamic and Multi-Dimensional GIS”, Bangkok, May 23-25, 2001
37
•ation using least-
1 of Geographical
5). RS-GIS: spatial
i, P. and Batty, M.,
nent. John Wiley &
INTEGRATION OF GIS WITH PESTICIDES LOSSES RUNOFF MODEL
Bing CHEN 1 , Gordon HUANG 1 , Jonathan LI 2 , Yueren LI 1 , and Yifan LI 3
mational Journal of
1 Environmental System Engineering Program, Faculty of Engineering, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
(1992). Category
s in an integrated
lation system,
Sensing, 58, pp.
Tel: (306) 585-5631, Fax: (306) 585-4095, E-mail: {chenbing, gordon.huang, liyuerU} @uregina.ca
2 Department of Geography, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
E. (1995). Forest
California, using
formation system.
nsing, 61, pp. 299-
Tel: (306) 585-5273, Fax: (306) 585-4815, E-mail: jun.li@uregina.ca
3 Atmospheric Environment Service, Environment Canada, Downsview, ON M3H 5T4, Canada
Tel: (416) 739-4892, Fax: (416) 739-4288, E-mail: yi-fan.li@ec.gc.ca
KEYWORDS: Pesticides, GIS, terrain analysis, pollution, runoff model.
ABSTRACT
Pesticides pollution is derived from agricultural activities on broad and diffuse location. The pollution is often a gradual and subtle hazard
and the extent of pollution is affected by uncontrollable events, such as storms as well as geographic and geologic conditions. The
development of spatial models incorporating remote sensing data sets and GIS software provides a useful tool. In this paper, an
integration approach of GIS and remote sensing with pesticides losses runoff model is proposed. A set of terrain analysis methods is
applied to compute the slope, direction flow and contributing area, etc. The DEM generated from aerial photographs is used to compute
hydrological parameters for the pesticides model. Cell numbers, cell connectivity, flow directions, land and channel slopes, slope lengths,
slope shapes, and upslope contributing areas, are carried out. Although they are only some of results derived from an ongoing project, the
results have proved that the feasibility and utility of interfacing terrain analysis technique with existing pesticides losses runoff models. By
using the capabilities of terrain analysis in modeling processes directly impacted by terrain characteristics, a more realistic description of
these processes is possible. The paper concludes by briefly analyzing the advantages of integration of pesticides pollution model with GIS
application.
(1991) reported that, nationally, 5% of fish kills were caused by
INTRODUCTION pesticides in USA.
The use of pesticides is widely accepted as indispensable in
most agricultural systems. However, there has been growing
concern about the fate of chemicals leaving the field and which
are threatening water quality in the past decades. This kind of
nonpoint source pollution is often a gradual and subtle hazard
to the environment. This is because the chemicals applied as
both herbicides and pesticides are long-lived, and can be
transported by water. Because of their severe toxicity, most of
these compounds have been banned or restricted from
extensive uses (Heidi and Jeff, 1994). However, many other
pesticides, especially herbicides, remain in use as essential
chemicals in modern agriculture, which has spanned a wide
range of research efforts on their behavioral and toxicological
properties. Among all the herbicides, alachlor, atrazine,
cyanazine and metolachlor account for about 73% of the
pesticides applied (Gianessi and Puffer, 1991). As water runoff
moves over the land, pesticides resulting from agricultural
activity are picked up and deposited into rivers, lakes, and other
bodies of water. Pollutants dissolved in the runoff are generally
more biologically available in water bodies than
sediment-based fractions and can be potentially more harmful
(DEC, 1990). It affects human health, quality of life, economic
smooth activities, and recreation, as well as the survival of fish
and wildlife and ecosystems integral to natural resource
preservation (Floyd et. al., 1998). For example, Lowe et al.
Pesticides pollution are derived from agricultural activities on
broad and diffuse location, the pollution sources are difficult to
identify. The discharges from them enter surface waters in a
diffuse manner and at intermittent intervals and travel over land
before reaching surface waters. The extent of the pollution is
affected by uncontrollable events, such as storms as well as
geographic, geologic and hydrological conditions, and may
differ greatly from place to place and year to year. The
governments of many countries have targeted the identification
and control of pesticides losses as a major goal for pollution
abatement. In order to develop plans to assess, manage, and
reduce pesticides remains in waters where water quality
problems have been identified. Remote sensing and
geographic information system (GIS) can aid in rapid inventory
and assessment of regions for potential pesticides pollution
problems. Because surface runoff in agricultural areas
contributes heavily to pesticides pollution, one way to
implement such a management program is to focus on the
characteristics and conditions of surface runoff. But, to control
and monitor these problems, it is necessary to know what the
current areas of concern, often at the parcel level (Floyd et. al,
1998).
The development of spatial models incorporating remote
sensing data sets and GIS software provides a useful tool, not
only for depiction of past and current pesticides losses, but also
