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| June 16, 2009 | | Indian origin scientist develops tool that can search best solutions for pollution control | | A scientist of Indian origin has designed a tool that takes into consideration
all feasible solutions for decreasing non-point source pollution for the amount
of money available. The scientist in question is Indrajeet Chaubey, an associate
professor of agricultural and biological engineering, Purdue University. He combined
a best management practices tool with a complex genetic algorithm that can search
out the best solutions for non-point source pollution control in a watershed.
By analyzing data from an area in just a few hours, the tool can compute the most
cost-effective pollution-control strategies for water resources affected by agriculture,
a process that currently takes weeks or months. "When you have got limited resources
to control non-point pollution in an area, you have to decide where to best use
your resources," Chaubey said. "At the same time, you want to be sure you don't
disrupt the agricultural production in an area," he added. Chaubey has spent the
last several years developing a best management practices tool that takes into
consideration all feasible solutions for decreasing non-point source pollution,
or pollution that gets into water through runoff. The tool determines the best
solution, such as changes in tillage practices, grass coverage and structural
changes on the land, based on the amount of pollution that can be eliminated,
the economic impact to agricultural land and other factors. The calculations used
include soil, water, topography and other data usually collected by governmental
agencies. The algorithm assesses which of those practices will result in the most
pollution control for the amount of money available with as little disruption
to agriculture as possible. "You have to look at the economic information at the
same time. If the solution we provide will negatively impact farmers, it will
not be adopted," Chaubey said. "Combining economic analysis with environmental
analysis gives solutions that are more likely to be acceptable to farmers and
watershed managers," he added. Chaubey said the system was tested with information
from the L'Anguille River Watershed in eastern Arkansas. Further testing is being
done on six locations in Indiana. Chaubey also expects to develop the tool in
a format accessible by government officials to evaluate projects in their jurisdictions.
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