HR: 0830h
AN: H41A-08    [Abstracts]
TI: Detection of Septic System Performance via Remote Sensing Technologies
AU: * Patterson, A H
EM: ahpatter@olemiss.edu
AF: Department of Geology and Geological Engineering University of Mississippi, 118 Carrier Hall, University, MS 38677 United States
AU: Kuszmaul, J S
EM: kuszmaul@olemiss.edu
AF: Department of Geology and Geological Engineering University of Mississippi, 118 Carrier Hall, University, MS 38677 United States
AU: Harvey, C
EM: charvey@nvisionsolutions.com
AF: NVision Solutions, Inc., Suite 147C, Bldg. 1103 NASA Stennis Space Center, Bay Saint Louis, MS 39529 United States
AB: Failing and improperly managed septic systems can affect water quality in their environs and cause health problems for individuals or community residents. When unchecked, failing systems can allow disease-causing pathogens to enter groundwater aquifers and pollute surface waters, contaminating drinking water, recreational waterways, and fishing grounds. Early detection of septic system leakage and failure can limit the extent of these problems. External symptoms which occur over an improperly functioning septic system can include lush or greener growth of vegetation, distress of vegetation, excessive soil moisture levels, or pooling of surface effluent. The use of remote sensing technologies coupled with attainable permit records to successfully identify these features could enable the appropriate agencies to target problem areas without extensive field inspection. High-resolution, airborne imagery was identified as having the potential to detect relative changes in soil moisture, to delineate individual leach fields, and to locate effluent discharges into water bodies. In addition, vegetation patterns responding to nutrient-rich effluent and increased soil moisture could be examined using a vegetation index. Both thermal- and color-infrared imagery were acquired for a study area in Jackson County, Mississippi, adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico. Within this coastal neighborhood known to have significant septic system failures, over 50 volunteer residents supplied information regarding the function of their systems and access to their property. Following data collection, regression methods were used to nominate the major indicators of malfunctioning systems. A ranking system for the "level of function" was derived from these analyses. A model was created which inputs data from attainable records and imagery analysis and outputs a predicted level of septic system function. The end product of this research will permit evaluation of septic system performance to be estimated using only easily obtainable data, allowing for minimal effort in the prioritization of problem areas by regulatory agencies.
DE: 1831 Groundwater quality
DE: 1866 Soil moisture
DE: 1871 Surface water quality
DE: 1894 Instruments and techniques
DE: 6615 Legislation and regulation
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly