Technical Bulletin No. 0104: A Review of Terrain and Other Physiographic Features at U.S. Pulp Mill Sites and Their Implications in Defining Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling Needs

  The increasingly important role that atmospheric dispersion modeling fills in satisfying the requirements for construction of new, or expansion at existing mill sites illustrates the importance that should be placed on refinement of the science. An indication of the situations faced by an industry as they relate to atmospheric dispersion modeling is a desirable step in refining the definition of its atmospheric dispersion modeling improvement needs. Only after these situations are defined can the modeling improvement needs of a particular industry be determined as unique or shared by others, and appropriate research planning designed to improve modeling be carried out. The importance of physiographic, topographic and terrain features, because of their influence on atmospheric patterns and turbulence which affect dispersion and transport of emissions, suggested that a comprehensive knowledge of the former at representative forest product industry mill sites would be important considerations in future research planning of atmospheric dispersion modeling. Selecting the 123 existing kraft pulp mill sites as representative of the mill sites in the United States, the physiographic features for each site were determined from U. S. Geological Survey topographic maps in carrying out the study. Those features within a 5 mile radius of a mill site which are important in atmospheric dispersion modeling, such as (a) urban areas, (b) large water bodies, (c) type of vegetation, (d) river valleys and (e) elevated terrain were determined. This information was then categorized and summarized.