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Simulation of a two‐pollutant, two‐season pollution offset system for the Colorado River of Texas below Austin
Author(s) -
Letson David
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/92wr00108
Subject(s) - pollution , pollutant , environmental science , offset (computer science) , water quality , environmental engineering , computer science , ecology , chemistry , organic chemistry , biology , programming language
A pollution offset system is a discharge permit system in which transfers are made subject to a restriction that no violations of water quality standards occur at any location. Simulation of a pollution offset system with seasonal variation and multiple pollutants allows for comparison of the savings possible from these design features. A simulation model (Qual‐TX) developed by the Texas Water Commission is applied to a case study region near Austin, Texas, yielding impact coefficients for an economic optimization model without investment whose least cost solution represents the theoretical equilibrium of a pollution offset system. The optimization model finds short‐run savings of 17.5% for a pollution offset system, as compared to a command and control policy that would also achieve the dissolved oxygen standard. Seasonal variation in permit design produces minimal effects; virtually all savings come from allowing pollution offsets for the two different pollutants.