SEDCAD uses classic, well-established methodologies for
hydrologic and hydraulic analysis. The Curve Number method has been expanded to
enable more accurate designs for disturbed and
reclaimed lands and forested areas. Hydraulic routing
techniques, all channel designs, culverts and energy dissipaters
were designed using well-established and broadly accepted techniques. SEDCAD4 is uniquely capable
of predicting the performance of
sediment basins, sediment traps, silt fences, porous rock silt
checks (check dams), and grass filters. Most of the sediment
control procedures have been developed based on extensive applied research
conducted at the University of Kentucky. Verification studies
for sediment ponds, silt fences and check dams have been completed
both under controlled laboratory and field conditions, encompassing
measurement of inflow and effluent stormwater, sediment
concentrations, and particle size distributions.
SEDCAD4 has been a key core software component in the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining's Technical Innovation and Professional Services (TIPS) program since 1988. It is used for permitting and design of control systems for abandoned mine lands.
The initial release of SEDCAD was in 1987, and the program is continually being upgraded by incorporating applied research from universities and government research facilities, feedback from users, and advances in operating systems, CAD software and computer capabilities.
Creating a complete model run requires these steps:
- Enter a Design Storm
- Enter the Networking
- Enter Subwatershed definitions for Hydrograph and Sedimentgraph modeling
- Enter Control Structure design parameters