The complexity of modeling pesticide fate and transport in an urban residential environment is a result of both the heterogeneity of the urban residential landscape, and variability in how pesticides are applied to different use sites within this environment. Current regulatory residential pesticide exposure model scenarios are based on agricultural models designed to simulate relatively homogeneous field conditions and uniform application practices and therefore fail to reflect this complexity. A novel approach linking US EPA's SWMM runoff model and the AGRO-2014 receiving water model was developed to allow the conservative representation of a more accurate conceptual model of residential pesticide use, fate, and transport. The approach incorporates independent parameterization of pesticide application and wash-off characteristics for multiple use sites, including lawns/landscape areas, foundation perimeters, driveways, and patios/walkways. The resulting model scenario, validated with site-specific monitoring data, represents a high vulnerability urban residential watershed (near the 90th percentile housing density nationally), making it well-suited for use in regulatory aquatic exposure modeling.

New approach to modeling potential pesticide aquatic exposure in urban residential environments: Development of an urban model scenario and modeling system

248th National Meeting (2014)

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