N-SPECT: Nonpoint Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool

N-SPECT helps coastal managers and local officials predict potential water quality impacts to rivers and streams from nonpoint source pollution and erosion. Users first enter information about their area (land cover, elevation, precipitation, and soil characteristics) to create the base data layer. They can then add different land cover change scenarios (such as a development) to get information about potential changes in surface water runoff, nonpoint pollution, and erosion. N-SPECT was developed as a decision-support tool for the Waianae area of Oahu, Hawaii, but other coastal communities can use the tool if they have the information needed for the base data layer. To use this tool, you will need land cover grid, digital elevation model, precipitation grid, set of land cover pollutant coefficients, water quality standards, soil type data. The tool will give you accumulated runoff, pollutant, and sediment load grids, pollutant and sediment concentration grids, pollutant assessment grid, which compares the resulting concentrations in receiving waters to user-specified water quality standards, and the ability to simulate land cover changes, such as developments.