A SIMPLIFIED STREAM MODEL OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE EFFECTS1

ABSTRACT: Three methods of modeling acid mine drainage effects are discussed. A net alkalinity routing model is the simplest of these, but can be potentially misleading. It typically overestimates the effect of acid sources on pH by neglecting carbon dioxide transfer to the atmosphere. Inclusion of a simple carbon dioxide transfer function can substantially reduce errors in stream quality prediction. A plug flow reaeration equation, coupled with mass balancing at mixing points in a stream network provides modeling results comparable to those of more complex computerized solutions of chemical equilibrium equations. None of the models accounts for carbonate dissolution or oxidation and hydrolysis of ferrous iron.     

DEVELOPMENT AND VERIFICATION OF A WATER BALANCE MODEL FOR SUBSURFACE DRAINAGE DESIGN1

ABSTRACT: A water balance model was developed to predict daily water table depths in some corn fields with or without subsurface drainage systems, using pertinent soil and water properties and weather data. The model outputs were compared with the recorded data of observed water table depths. Some statistical parameters such as the mean, standard deviation, the coefficient of correlation, the sum of the squares of deviations, and a nonparametric statistical test were used to study the extent of agreement between the observed and the predicted water table depths. No significant difference was found between the distributions of the observed and the predicted water table depths at the 99% confidence level. The study was conducted on some sand and clay soils of the Ottawa-St. Lawrence Lowlands region in Canada where there is a cool, moist climate and poor natural drainage.     

SIMULATING TILE DRAINAGE AND NITRATE LEACHING UNDER A POTATO CROP1

ABSTRACT: A 2.2-hectare potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv Chieftain) field at Saint Leonard d'Aston, Quebec (lat. 72° 24′ 30″ long. 46° 5′ 30″) was instrumented to measure tile drain flow over two growing seasons, 1989 and 1990. The soil was a Sainte Jude sandy loam. Soil properties and nitrate concentrations in the drain flow were measured. The CREAMS (Chemicals, Runoff and rosion from agricultural Management systems) computer simulation model was validated for the study site. CREAMS underpredicted event percolation depths. However, total monthly percolation depths were close to observed values. CREAMS overpredicted event nitrate concentrations leached to tile drainage. There was a poor match between predicted and observed event nitrate concentrations in drain flow (coefficient of predictability, CP_A= 104.95). Based on a sensitivity analysis, input parameters, representative of local conditions, were determined for the CREAMS hydrology and nutrient submodels.     

APPLICATION OF DIFFUSIVE TANK MODEL IN DRAINAGE ANALYSIS OF PADDY FIELDS1

ABSTRACT: A diffusive tank model has been successfully applied to the simulation of runoff from paddy fields in Japan because it can well describe the features of local water flows. The main goal of the study is to evaluate the performance of the diffusive tank model with the calibrated parameters obtained in Jyau‐Shi to simulate discharge from paddy fields in two experimental catchments located in the areas of Shing‐Ying and Ta‐Liao, Southwestern Taiwan. The simulations were verified by comparing the model results with observed runoff data from the two experimental catchments. The model predicted the discharge from the paddy fields well. This indicates that the model with the calibrated parameters may be used in other paddy fields in Taiwan.     

REUSE OF AGRICULTURAL DRAINAGE WATERS: AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS1

ABSTRACT The profitability of reusing agricultural drainage water for crop production depends on the salt tolerance of the crop being grown the salt concentration of the drainage water, the cost of obtaining it and price of good water. In the this paper the economics of drainwater resue is examined for six crops in two areas of southern California. The results suggest that drainwater reuse is not profitable for the fruit and vegetable crops considered but is profitable for the field crops considered when the price of good water is relatively high and cost of obtaining the draingage water is low.     

SPATIAL CLUSTERS OF SUBSURFACE DRAINAGE WATER NO3‐N LEACHING LOSSES1

ABSTRACT: Grouping of nitrate‐nitrogen (NO₃‐N) leaching losses from agricultural fields into spatial clusters can help determine the cause/effect relationships for their occurrence. This study was designed to investigate the spatial relationships of low, medium, and high NO₃‐N leaching losses clusters with soil and landscape attributes using cluster and discriminant analysis and the map overlay capability of a geographical information system (GIS). Field measured data of a six‐year (1993 through 1998) study on NO₃‐N leaching losses from 36 experimental fields at the Iowa State University's northeastern research center near Nashua, Iowa, were normalized on an annual basis to compare over the years. The cluster analysis resulted in the formation of three clusters based on the satisfactory evaluation criteria of pseudo‐F statistic, cubic clustering criterion, and R² values. The discriminant analysis, carried out on the basis of clusters, identified elevation and subsurface drainage as the factors that contributed significantly (p > 0.01) in discriminating among these clusters. The verification of discriminant functions developed on these factors predicted the cluster membership for all the groups with an overall accuracy of 86 percent. The map overlay analyses of GIS showed that spatial occurrence of the clusters transporting high NO₃‐N leaching losses was affected by the interaction of soil type and elevation levels.     

WATER BUDGET ANALYSIS FOR THE EVERGLADES AGRICULTURAL AREA DRAINAGE BASIN1

ABSTRACT: Water budget studies are essential for water resources and environmental management. In this study, a water budget analysis is presented for the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) in South Florida for the period from 1973 to 1991. The EAA is a highly productive irrigation/drainage basin that has a high water table and organic soils. Water quality problems are associated with the drainage discharge from the basin. During dry periods, supplemental water is used for irrigation and in rainy periods excess water with relatively higher phosphorus content is pumped out of the basin to Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades ecosystem. Elevated concentrations of phosphorus in the runoff/drainage that is discharged from the EAA basin have created water quality problems. The mean surface water inflow to the basin was 63,990 ha-m, and the outflow was 131,447 ha-m per year. On the average, supplemental surface water use was 47,411 ha-m, and runoff/drainage was 114,816 ha-m per year. The mean annual basin rainfall was 120.9 cm. A general trend in the decline of the wet season rainfall is observed.     

ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES IN MINE DRAINAGE REDUCTION A COST-EFFECTIVENESS APPROACH1

ABSTRACT Twenty-seven watersheds in the Susquehanna River Basin are severely degraded by acid mine drainage pollution. Approximately 620 miles of significant tributaries as well as 230 miles of principal rivers are either sterile or intermittently degraded by acid slugs. As a result of the acid discharges, many uses of the streams, such as water supply and recreation, are precluded. In the past, acid mine drainage abatement programs did not look beyond the immediate problem area. No considerations were given to the blending effect of natural alkalinity in other streams. Since the abatement of acid mine drainage pollution is extremely costly, a method of minimizing these costs was needed. The systematic, cost-effectiveness approach, discussed in this paper presents such a method. This system allows the water resources planners to control the allocation of funds for maximizing the abatement of acid mine drainage.     

USE OF FIRST-ORDER UNCERTAINTY ANALYSIS TO OPTIMIZE SUCCESSFUL STREAM WATER QUALITY SIMULATION1

ABSTRACT: A first-order uncertainty technique is developed to quantify the relationship between field data collection and a modeling exercise involving both calibration and subsequent verification. A simple statistic (LTOTAL) is used to quantify the total likelihood (probability) of successfully calibrating and verifying the model. Results from the first-order technique are compared with those from a traditional Monte Carlo simulation approach using a simple Streeter-Phelps dissolved oxygen model. The largest single difference is caused by the filtering or removal of unrealistic outcomes within the Monte Carlo framework. The amount of bias inherent in the first-order approach is also a function of the magnitude of input variability and sampling location. The minimum bias of the first-order technique is approximately 20 percent for a case involving relatively large uncertainties. However the bias is well behaved (consistent) so as to allow for correct decision making regarding the relative efficacy of various sampling strategies. The utility of the first-order technique is demonstrated by linking data collection costs with modeling performance. For a simple and inexpensive project, a wise and informed selection resulted in an LTOTAL value of 86 percent, while an uninformed selection could result in an LTOTAL value of only 55 percent.     

USING SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS TO ASSIST PARAMETER ZONATION IN GROUND WATER FLOW MODEL1

ABSTRACT: For numerical modeling of ground water movement in a real aquifer system, the aquifer is usually divided into hydrogeologically defined zones, each with its own parameter values. The responses of the system, such as head or drawdown, are often available only in some of the zones. The estimated parameters of all the zones are based on the measured response in these limited zones. However, the estimates for some of the zones may be very uncertain, and these zones are therefore not justified by the data. In this paper, an approach is presented to understand which zone may produce uncertain parameter values and should be lumped with its neighbor. This approach is demonstrated using a regional numerical model for pumping test analysis in the Nottinghamshire aquifer, UK. A step-by-step process is used in identifying the aquifer zones and estimating their parameters based on the principle of using the smallest possible numbers of zones and parameters for adequate representation of the drawdown response. After the parameters of each zone are estimated, the sensitivity features of these parameters are examined. The results show that the parameters in one zone can be estimated properly by the drawdown in another zone only when there is significant sensitivity. For transmissivity, sensitivity between zones occurs when there is significant flow between them. For storativity, sufficient sensitivity can occur without large flows between the zones, provided that one zone causes significant drawdown in the other. This idea can be extended to the flow model for a large aquifer system. If the aquifer is divided in such a way that aquifer responses are not sensitive to the parameters in some of the zones, the parameters in those zones cannot be estimated properly and should be lumped into their neighboring zones. In this way, a simple but more reasonable model can be built.     

ESTIMATING REGIONAL SNOW WATER EQUIVALENT WITH A SIMPLE SIMULATION MODEL1

A simple simulation model designed to monitor snow-packs of the central Sierra Nevada is described. The model estimates average snow water equivalent for rectangular subregions in the area. Static subregion characteristics, daily precipitation and mean and minimum air temperatures measured at three index stations are the only needed input values. A water balance technique simulates daily snowpack changes in each subregion. Reasonable basinwide water equivalent values are produced. The procedure should be useful for estimating snow water distribution in large mountainous watersheds.     

SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS,CALIBRATION, AND VALIDATIONS FOR A MULTISITE AND MULTIVARIABLE SWAT MODEL1

The ability of a watershed model to mimic specified watershed processes is assessed through the calibration and validation process. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) watershed model was implemented in the Beaver Reservoir Watershed of Northwest Arkansas. The objectives were to: (1) provide detailed information on calibrating and applying a multisite and multivariable SWAT model; (2) conduct sensitivity analysis; and (3) perform calibration and validation at three different sites for flow, sediment, total phosphorus (TP), and nitrate‐nitrogen (NO₃‐N) plus nitrite‐nitrogen (NO₂‐N). Relative sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify parameters that most influenced predicted flow, sediment, and nutrient model outputs. A multi objective function was defined that consisted of optimizing three statistics: percent relative error (RE), Nash‐Sutcliffe Coefficient (R_NS²), and coefficient of determination (R²). This function was used to successfully calibrate and validate a SWAT model of Beaver Reservoir Watershed at multi‐sites while considering multivariables. Calibration and validation of the model is a key factor in reducing uncertainty and increasing user confidence in its predictive abilities, which makes the application of the model effective. Information on calibration and validation of multisite, multivariable SWAT models has been provided to assist watershed modelers in developing their models to achieve watershed management goals.     

A MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF SALMONID SPAWNING HABITAT1

ABSTRACT: A simulation model [Salmonid Spawning Analysis Model (SSAM)] was developed as a management tool to evaluate the relative impacts of stream sediment load and water temperature on salmonid egg survival. The model is useful for estimating acceptable sediment loads to spawning habitat that may result from upland development, such as logging and agriculture. Software in common use in the USA were adapted for use in gravel bedded rivers and linked to simulate water temperature (the USFWS Instream Water Temperature, SNTEMP model) and water and sediment routing (the USAE Scour and Deposition in Rivers and Reservoirs, HEC-6 model, version 3.2). These models drive the redd (spawning nest) model (the USDA-ABS Sediment Intrusion Dissolved Oxygen SIDO model) which simulates sediment intrusion and dissolved oxygen concentration in the redd environment. The SSAM model predictions of dissolved oxygen and water temperature compared favorably with field data from artificial redds containing hatchery chinook salmon eggs.     

FACTORS INVOLVED IN EVALUATING GROUND WATER IMPACTS OF DEEP COAL MINE DRAINAGE1

ABSTRACT: The determination of probable ground water impacts of proposed deep coal mining is required as part of permit applications. Impact prediction generally involves well production test analysis and modeling of ground water systems associated with coal seams. Well production tests are often complicated due to the relatively low permeabilities of sandstones and shales of ground water systems. The effects of the release of water stored within finite diameter production wells must be considered. Well storage capacity appreciably affects early well production test time drawdown or time recovery data. Low pumping rates, limited cones of depression, and length of required pumping periods ate important well production test design factors. Coal seam ground water system models are usually multilayered and leaky artesian. Mine drafts partially penetrate the ground water system. Simulation of coal mine drainage often involves the horizontal permeability and storage coefficient of the coal seam zone, vertical permeabilities of sandstones and shales (aquitard) above and below the coal seam zone, and the hydrologic properties of the source bed above the aqultard overlying the coal seam zone. Ground water level declines in both the coal seam zone and source bed near land surface are necessary factors in impact analysis. An example of evaluation studies in southwest Indiana will illustrate factors involved in deep coal mine drainage modeling efforts.     

SIMULATING THE IMPACT OF DRAINAGE DESIGN IN A COLD CLIMATE WITH ADAPT1

ABSTRACT: Surface and subsurface drainage make crop production economically viable in much of southern Minnesota because drainage allows timely field operations and protects field crops from extended periods of flooded soil conditions. However, subsurface drainage has been shown to increase nitrate/nitrogen losses to receiving waters. When engaging in drainage activities, farmers are increasingly being asked to consider, apart from the economic profit, the environmental impact of drainage. The Agricultural Drainage and Pesticide Transport model (ADAPT) was used in this study to evaluate the impact of subsurface drainage design on the soil water balance over a two‐year period during which observed drainage discharge data were available. Twelve modeling scenarios incorporated four drainage coefficients (DC), 0.64 cm/d, 0.95 cm/d, 1.27 cm/d, and 1.91 cm/d, and three drain depths, 0.84 m, 1.15 m, and 1.45 m. The baseline condition corresponded to the drainage system specifications at the field site: a drain depth and spacing of 1.45 m and 28 m, respectively (DC of 0.64 cm/d). The results of the two‐year simulation suggested that for a given drainage coefficient, soils with the shallower drains (but equal DC) generally have less subsurface drainage and can produce more runoff (but reduced total discharge) and evapotranspiration. The results also suggested that it may be possible to design for both water/nitrate/nitrogen reduction and crop water needs.     

CONTINUOUS SIMULATION OF RECEIVING WATER QUALITY TRANSIENTS1

: This paper presents solutions to the one-dimensional, transient conservation of mass equations for the coupled biochemical oxygen demand-dissolved oxygen (BOD-DO) reactions, based on the principle of superposition, for continuously discharging plane sources. The solutions are applied within the framework of a continuous simulation model to allow the derivation of water quality frequency curves and frequency histograms of consecutive hourly dissolved oxygen violations, for any desired standard. Receiving water response is determined for waste inputs from urban wet weather, dry weather, and upstream sources. An application to Des Moines, Iowa, and Des Moines River indicated that urban storm water impacts on the stream can be masked in the cumulative frequency curve representation, but the benefits of storm water control are clearly shown in frequency histograms of the duration of consecutive stream standard violations.     

DRAINAGE QUALITY AT DEEP COAL MINE SITES1

ABSTRACT: Samples were collected from the drainages of inactive deep coal mine sites located in eight states. Drainage quality was found to be highly variable, with a majority of sites exceeding federal effluent quality guidelines. Concentrations of trace metals including cadmium, mercury, zinc, and nickel were low. The presence of overburden calcareous material was shown to affect drainage quality. A consistent pattern of pH-acidity response was found to exist for the mine sites monitored. An empirical formula was developed to characterize this response.     

ESTIMATION OF DRAINAGE AREAS IN A HOMOGENEOUS LANDSCAPE1

In areas where there is little or no topographic relief and where soils, vegetation, geologic structure and other factors are essentially uniform, identification of drainage basin boundaries is difficult or impossible. In such a homogeneous landscape, however, assumptions may be made that the hydrologic and geomorphic controls over drainage basin development are constant within the area. If this is true, it is suggested, the drainage area of a stream is related solely to the stream length and factors governing the length-area relationship are also constant. A simple formula based on these assumptions and the gravity model is proposed which can be used to estimate drainage divides in a homogeneous landscape.     

EFFECTS OF CONTROLLED DRAINAGE ON STORM EVENT HYDROLOGY IN A LOBLOLLY PINE PLANTATION1

ABSTRACT: A paired watershed approach was utilized to study the effects of three water management regimes on storm event hydrology in three experimental watersheds in a drained loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation in eastern North Carolina. The regimes were: (1) conventional drainage, (2) controlled drainage (CD) to reduce outflows during spring fish recruitment, and (3) controlled drainage to reduce outflows and conserve water during the growing season. Data from two pit‐treatment years and three years of CD treatment with raised weirs at the watershed outlet are presented. CD treatment resulted in rises in water table elevations during the summer. But the rises were small and short‐lived due to increased evapotranspiration (ET) rates as compared to the spring treatment with lower ET demands. CD treatment had no effect on water tables deeper than 1.3 m. CD treatments, however, significantly (α= 0.05) reduced the stoning outflows for all events, and peak outflow rates for most of the events depending upon the outlet weir level. In some events, flows did not occur at all in watersheds with CD. When event outflows occurred, duration of the event was sharply reduced because of reduced effective ditch depth. Water table depth at the start of an event influenced the effect of CD treatment on storm event hydrology.     

A SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF THE PALMER HYDROLOGIC DROUGHT INDEX1

ABSTRACT: The sensitivity of the Palmer Hydrologic Drought Index to departures from average temperature and precipitation conditions is examined. A time series of zero index values was calculated and then one monthly temperature or precipitation value was perturbed. The resulting time series shows the effects on the index of one anomalous value. Independent series were calculated for temperature anomalies of plus and minus 1, 3, 5, and 10F and for precipitation anomalies of 25, 50, 75, 125, 150, and 200 percent of normal for each calendar month for Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin. Analysis of the time series showed that the period of time required for the index to reflect actual rather than artificial initial conditions could be more than four years. It was also found that the effects of temperature anomalies are insignificant compared to the effects of precipitation anomalies. In some cases, one anomalous precipitation value could result in established wet or dry spells that last for up to two years. Although not examined in detail, the time series suggest that distributions of index values may be asymmetrical and possibly bimodal.