Abstract

A waterway defilement risk (RANK) structure is created to show the use of a Computational Liquid Elements model in risk evaluation of tainting openness in surface waters. The ultimate objective is to determine the factors that could lead to future river contamination emergencies and to use this information to guide strategic investments in policies and infrastructure that improve resilience. An earlier contamination event in the Ohio River is first evaluated using the RANK model. The outcomes demonstrate that with higher waterway speed, tuft section turns out to be quicker, with prior rush hour and more limited span of crest at the focal point. In the case under investigation, the toxicity level of the contaminant may cause the plume duration at the point of interest to increase by 85 percent or 65 percent if the initial spill duration is increased by 100 percent. RANK can be utilized for climate-informed decision analysis in water quality applications, as indicated by the sensitivity analysis on hydraulic inputs.