AN AUTO-CAD-BASED WATERSHED INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR THE HYDROLOGIC MODEL HEC-11

ABSTRACT: A micro computer based Watershed Information System (W.LS.) is developed to assist in the preparation of input files for the hydrologic simulation model HEC-1. This system consists of three phases. Phase I utilizes the capabilities of AutoCAD version 9 and three programs, BASINS, PLANES, and CHANNELS, to extract, organize, and display watershed data. Phase II uses the program CN to calculate some HEC-1 parameter values. Phase II utilizes the program HECUPDATE to create HEC-1 input files. The system input includes topographic, soils, land use, watershed geometry data, and a skeletal HEC-1 input file. Output from the system includes a summary User Reference File, a Soils File, a Land Use File, a Watershed Geometry File, a Curve Number File, and a HEC-1 input file, which is ready to run. The W.I.S. has been applied to Macks Creek Watershed in southwest Idaho.     

ASSESSMENT OF STORMWATER RUNOFF FOR RECYCLE IN COOLING TOWERS AT KSC,FLORIDA1

ABSTRACT: In addition to measuring the quantity of stormwater runoff generated during ten rainfall events from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) area of Kennedy Space Center (KSC), historical rainfall records were also used for determining the feasibility of implementing a program of stormwater recycling to air conditioning cooling towers. It was projected that 0.182 million gallons per day (MGD) of runoff would be generated from the VAR area during a year of average rainfall (48 inches); only 0.117 MGD is required for coolant makeup water in the VAR area. Due to the seasonal variations in rainfall, stormwater recycling may not always meet all the cooling water demands.     

ADEQUACY OF SELECTED EVAPOTRANSPIRATION APPROXIMATIONS FOR HYDROLOGIC SIMULATION1

ABSTRACT: Evapotranspiration (ET) approximations, usually based on computed potential ET (PET) and diverse PET‐to‐ET conceptualizations, are routinely used in hydrologic analyses. This study presents an approach to incorporate measured (actual) ET data, increasingly available using micrometeorological methods, to define the adequacy of ET approximations for hydrologic simulation. The approach is demonstrated at a site where eddy correlation‐measured ET values were available. A baseline hydrologic model incorporating measured ET values was used to evaluate the sensitivity of simulated water levels, subsurface recharge, and surface runoff to error in four ET approximations. An annually invariant pattern of mean monthly vegetation coefficients was shown to be most effective, despite the substantial year‐to‐year variation in measured vegetation coefficients. The temporal variability of available water (precipitation minus ET) at the humid, subtropical site was largely controlled by the relatively high temporal variability of precipitation, benefiting the effectiveness of coarse ET approximations, a result that is likely to prevail at other humid sites.     

EQUIVALENCE BETWEEN TOPMODEL AND THE NRCS CURVE NUMBER METHOD IN PREDICTING VARIABLE RUNOFF SOURCE AREAS1

An equivalence is proposed between two rainfall‐runoff methods with a long history of use in the United States and Europe. In watersheds where variable source areas dominate runoff, the two methods can have comparable probability distribution functions of moisture deficit, and therefore predict similar saturated runoff source areas. A novel approach is introduced to determine the S parameter in the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) method. This approach constrains S by the physical soil and topography characteristics of the catchment and depth to water table. The NRCS curve number method is at the core of many rainfall‐runoff models in hydrology. As a simple lumped parameter method, it is often scrutinized because it is not obvious how to derive S from catchment hydromorphological characteristics. The novel approach provides a clear physical meaning for S, allowing better estimation of this parameter in humid shallow water table environments where the variable source area can be the dominant runoff mechanism.     

MONTHLY RUNOFF PREDICTIONS BASED ON RAINFALL FORECASTS IN A SMALL OKLAHOMA WATERSHED1

ABSTRACT: Conditions under which monthly rainfall forecasts translate into monthly runoff predictions that could support water resources planning and management activities were investigated on a small watershed in central Oklahoma. Runoff response to rainfall forecasts was simulated using the hydrologic model SWAT. Eighteen scenarios were examined that represented combinations of wet, average, and dry antecedent rainfall conditions, with wet, normal, and dry forecasted rainfall. Results suggest that for the climatic and physiographic conditions under consideration, rainfall forecasts could offer potential application opportunities in surface water resources but only under certain conditions. Pronounced wet and dry antecedent rainfall conditions were shown to have greater impact on runoff than forecasts, particularly in the first month of a forecast period. Large forecast impacts on runoff occurred under wet antecedent conditions, when the fraction of forecasted rainfall contributing to runoff was greatest. Under dry antecedent conditions, most of the forecasted rainfall was absorbed in the soil profile, with little immediate runoff response. Persistent three‐month forecasts produced stronger impacts on runoff than one‐month forecasts due to cumulative effects in the hydrologic system. Runoff response to antecedent conditions and forecasts suggest a highly asymmetric utility function for rainfall forecasts, with greatest decision‐support potential for persistent wet forecasts under wet antecedent conditions when the forecast signal is least dampened by soil‐storage effects. Under average and dry antecedent conditions, rainfall forecasts showed little potential value for practical applications in surface water resources assessments.     

Controlling non-point-source pollution by rural resource recycling. Nitrogen runoff in Tai Lake valley, China, as an example

Agricultural non-point-source (NPS) pollution is regarded as the dominant contributor to water quality degradation and eutrophication in China. Nitrogen (N) is a primary source of pollution in fresh water bodies. In this work a linear programming model was developed to simulate the effectiveness of different nitrogen runoff control policies, using Pinghu City in Tai Lake valley as an example. Four policy scenarios were tested: a tax at a rate equivalent to 50% of the cost of nitrogen fertilizer (S1); a ban on summer fertilizer applications to make the most use of fertilizer applied in the spring (S2); mandatory substitution of regular fertilizers by controlled-release fertilizers (S3); and a subsidy of US$300 ha⁻¹ (RMB￥150 mu⁻¹) for using compost (S4). The results indicate that all four policies would effectively reduce nitrogen runoff—by 9.8, 26.8, 14.4, and 80.0%, respectively. A subsidy for recycling domestic animal manure and utilizing compost had the most significant effect on the reduction of nitrogen runoff without reducing household income. This research suggests that measures to control agricultural NPS pollution should be combined with a policy to promote recycling of bio-resources and that financial support for NPS pollution control combined with bio-resource recycling should be regarded as one aspect of public investment in regional sustainable development.     

水系分形特征对流域径流特性的影响——以赣江中上游流域为例

以赣江流域中上游的8个水文站点所控制的流域为研究对象，以水系分形维数为指标来描述流域水系特征，以Hurst指数为指标来描述流域径流序列复杂性，研究两者之间的关系，并分析流域水系特征、水系变迁对流域旱涝灾害的影响。研究表明，流域水系分维数越高，水系越复杂，其径流深序列Hurst指数则越高，其径流过程则越简单，反之亦然。径流序列的复杂程度在一定程度上可以反映出洪涝干旱灾害发生的可能性，径流越复杂，则洪涝干旱灾害发生可能性越高。因此，一般来说水系分维越高，水系越复杂，则洪涝干旱灾害发生的可能性也就越低。各流域水系分维与径流深序列的关系，可以在一定程度上说明水系变迁对洪涝干旱灾害的影响：在气温、降水、地形、植被等要素变化不大的情况下，水系、河网消亡将增加洪涝灾害和干旱灾害发生的可能性。     

VARIATION IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SNOWMELT RUNOFF IN OREGON AND ENSO AND PDO1

ABSTRACT: The value of using climate indices such as ENSO or PDO in water resources predictions is dependent on understanding the local relationship between these indices and streamflow over time. This study identifies long term seasonal and spatial variations in the strength of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) correlations with timing and magnitude of discharge in snowmelt streams in Oregon. ENSO is best correlated with variability in annual discharge, and PDO is best correlated with spring snowmelt timing and magnitude and timing of annual floods. Streams in the Cascades and Wallowa mountains show the strongest correlations, while the southernmost stream is not correlated with ENSO or PDO. ENSO correlations are weaker from 1920 to 1950 and vary significantly depending on whether Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) or Niño 3.4 is used. PDO correlations are strong from 1920 to 1950 and weak or insignificant other years. Although there are not consistent increasing or decreasing trends in annual discharge or spring snowmelt timing, there are significant increases in fractional winter runoff that are independent of precipitation, PDO, or ENSO and may indicate monotonic winter warming.     

A REVISED VERSION OF PnET‐II TO SIMULATE THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE IN SOUTHEASTERN FORESTED AREAS1

ABSTRACT: The PnET‐II model uses hydroclimatic data on maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation, and solar radiation, together with vegetation and soil parameters, to produce estimates of net primary productivity, evapotranspiration (ET), and runoff on a monthly time step for forested areas. In this study, the PnET‐II model was employed to simulate the hydrologic cycle for 17 Southeastern eight‐digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) watersheds dominated by evergreen or deciduous tree species. Based on these control experiments, model biases were quantified and tentative revision schemes were introduced. Revisions included: (1) replacing the original single soil layer with three soil layers in the water balance routine; (2) introducing calibrating factors to rectify the phenomenon of overestimation of ET in spring and early summer months; (3) parameterizing proper values of growing degree days for trees located in different climate zones; and (4) adjusting the parameter of fast‐flow (overland flow) fraction based on antecedent moisture condition and precipitation intensity. The revised PnET‐II model, called PnET‐II3SL in this work, substantially improved runoff simulations for the 17 selected experimental sites, and therefore may offer a more powerful tool to address issues in water resources management.     

Integration of SWAT and HSPF for Simulation of Sediment Sources in Legacy Sediment‐Impacted Agricultural Watersheds

A total maximum daily load for the Chesapeake Bay requires reduction in pollutant load from sources within the Bay watersheds. The Conestoga River watershed has been identified as a major source of sediment load to the Bay. Upland loads of sediment from agriculture are a concern; however, a large proportion of the sediment load in the Conestoga River has been linked to scour of legacy sediment associated with historic millpond sites. Clarifying this distinction and identifying specific segments associated with upland vs. channel sources has important implications for future management. In order to address this important question, we combined the strengths of two widely accepted watershed management models — Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for upland agricultural processes, and Hydrologic Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) for instream fate and transport — to create a novel linked modeling system to predict sediment loading from critical sources in the watershed including upland and channel sources, and to aid in targeted implementation of management practices. The model indicates approximately 66% of the total sediment load is derived from instream sources, in agreement with other studies in the region and can be used to support identification of these channel source segments vs. upland source segments, further improving targeted management. The innovated linked SWAT‐HSPF model implemented in this study is useful for other watersheds where both upland agriculture and instream processes are important sources of sediment load.