Published by:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
OpenNSPECT is the open-source version of the Nonpoint Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool (more), to investigate potential water quality impacts from development, other land uses, and climate change. OpenNSPECT was designed to be broadly applicable. When applied to coastal and noncoastal areas alike, the tool simulates erosion, pollution, and their accumulation from overland flow. This resource is produced by NOAA and available on the Digital Coast website. NOAA also offers free online training for this resource.
Features of this resource include:
- Provides estimates and maps of surface water runoff volumes, pollutant loads, pollutant concentrations, and total sediment loads
- Helps users identify areas that might benefit from changes to proposed development strategies
- Processes digital elevation data quickly and easily
- Provides a means to analyze "what if" land use change scenarios