Evaluation of Migration of Heavy Metal Containing Sediment Resulting from Water Erosion Using a Geo- Information Model

Basically, water erosion is one of the most significant environmental problems in the world. The major variables affecting soil erosion are climate, soil, vegetation, and topography. Of these, vegetation and, to some extent, soil and topography may be controlled. However, for adequate intervention, reliable and representative model parameters and running conditions are necessary, which requires complex digital real time data sets. Recently, digital erosion modelling of contaminated media has also come into focus, since several potential pollution sources, such as mine tailings, can be found in water catchment areas. In these cases, the input data include the spatial distribution of the contaminants' concentrations, in addition to the basic spatial parameters, in high resolution. A digital spatial water erosion model was generated in a geo information environment for a site in Gyöngyösoroszi, Hungary, where a heavy metal containing mine tailing is located, resulting in environmental and human risk. Distribution of contaminants was evaluated by geo-statistical methods and the migration of the tailing material was evaluated to provide an environmental risk map by using a digital elevation model and an ortho photo and the Smith-Wischmeier equation for the erosion model. Based on the erosion model, it can be stated that the risk of pollution to the surroundings, including a stream, is considerable. This is especially true for the cases of lead, arsenic and zinc.