Determining a cost-effective dust mitigation action plan
Which dust control methods should be used where?
From our research on dust control methods, we determined surface roughening and vegetation enhancement as the best techniques to implement at the Sea, since they are water-efficient and cost-effective. Finer soils can be controlled with surface roughening whereas coarser soils can be controlled with vegetation. Vegetation is more expensive than surface roughening, so in order to get the most dust control for the least cost, we recommend using surface roughening in all areas that can be controlled with this technique. Vegetation should be used for the soil types that cannot be controlled with surface roughening. The Mitigation Strategy map to the left below shows where we recommend these two dust control methods to be used in future exposed areas.
If surface roughening and vegetation enhancement are used to control dust, it will cost about one-third of the total cost of using methods that are currently approved by the EPA (see Dust Control Methods). The graph to the right below shows this difference in costs.
If surface roughening and vegetation enhancement are used to control dust, it will cost about one-third of the total cost of using methods that are currently approved by the EPA (see Dust Control Methods). The graph to the right below shows this difference in costs.
Which areas should we target first if there is limited funding?
With limited funding, not all areas will be able to be controlled for dust. The map below shows the priority areas to target for dust control. These results will help decision-makers plan for how to reduce the most dust for the least cost by targeting the high priority areas first.