Nationwide Water Quality and Hydrodynamic Modeling for the US Navy

The Situation

The US Navy applies antifouling paints on its ships’ hulls to reduce barnacle growth, enhancing fuel efficiency. Some of these antifouling paints contain pollutants which can leach and contaminate waterbodies. The US Navy selected GKY to develop computer models that can predict the transport and fate of pollutants in naval harbors and surrounding waterbodies.

The Solution

GKY used EPA’s proven WASP model to simulate hydrodynamics, transport characteristics and fate of pollutants within the following waterbodies:

Puget Sound
Los Angeles Harbor
San Francisco Bay
Pearl Harbor
St. Johns River
Delaware River
Portsmouth Harbor, NH
Charleston Harbor, SC

GKY also developed courses and trained US Navy personnel to use these models, providing a practical method to avert potential environmental hazards.