PARENT SESSION
PM18 - TMDLs
Monday, 18 November 2002
8:00 AM to 6:30 PM
Exhibit Hall
(P386) An Estimation of Copper Roof Runoff Rates in the United States of America.
Arnold, W*,1, Lee, C2, 1 Copper Development Association Inc., New York, NY2 International Copper Association, New York, NY
ABSTRACT- The US EPA's total maximum daily load and non-point source control programs necessitate the understanding of sources and potential impacts of non-point sources copper within watersheds. One source of copper is runoff of the precipitation falling onto copper used in architectural applications such as roofing. There have been few studies of copper roof runoff of buildings worldwide and only one in the USA. In this paper, copper roof runoff rates and concentrations at 179 locations throughout the USA are predicted using a recently developed model, actual precipitation and pH data and making certain assumptions including roof angle and length. Average predicted runoff rates and concentrations for sites around the USA are based on seven consecutive years of precipitation rate and pH data (1994-2000) and were found to be 2.04 g Cu/m2y, 2.60 mg Cu/m2mm and 2.60 mg Cu/L as total copper. Statistics presented allow determination of data distributions for probabilistic risk assessments and to determine predicted copper runoff rates and concentrations at each location. Additional information is presented related to the fate of copper from roof runoff in watersheds and methods used to aid in assessment of exposure and risks.
Key words: copper, fate, modeling, nonpoint