Can LOADEST be used to analyze loading in small and/or urban watersheds?
• The regression approach implemented within LOADEST is best suited for large, non-urban watersheds. Other applications are of course possible; the applicability of LOADEST to a given watershed and dataset must be accessed on a case-by-case basis. Tim Cohn notes that: “My own experience is that it is very hard to get a reasonable model fit for small basins — and particularly urban ones with point sources” In addition, Dan Hippe writes: “In previous decades, most regression based load estimation models have been developed to provide unbiased estimates of mostly annual loads on larger (less flashy) rivers based on calibration data sets of rather infrequent water quality samples (often monthly routine samples and fewer targeted storm samples per year) and the mean daily discharge associated with the dates of the samples (Cohn and others, 1992). The use of mean daily discharges for calibration and estimation, was deemed appropriate in that the principle data product from stream gaging acti
