SUBWATERSHED SPATIAL ANALYSIS TOOL: DISCRETIZATION OF A DISTRIBUTED HYDROLOGIC MODEL BY STATISTICAL CRITERIA1

ABSTRACT: Complex hydrologic models, designed for simulating larger watersheds, require a huge amount of input data. Most of these models use spatially distributed data as inputs. Spatial data can be aggregated or disaggregated for use as input to a model, which can impact model outputs. Although, it is efficient to minimize data redundancy by aggregating the spatial data, upscaling reduces the detail/resolution of input information and increases model uncertainty. On the other hand, a large number of model inputs with high degrees of disaggregation take more computer time and space to process. Hence, a balance between striving for a maximum level of aggregation and a minimum level of information loss has to be achieved. This study presents a definition of an appropriate level of discretization, derived by establishing a relationship between a model's efficiency and the number of subwater‐sheds modeled. An entropy based statistical approach/tool called Subwatershed Spatial Analysis Tool (SUSAT) was developed to find an objective choice of an appropriate level of discretization. The new approach/tool was applied to three watersheds, each representing different hydrologic conditions, using a hydrologic model. Coefficients of efficiency and entropy estimated at different levels of discretization were used to validate the success of the new approach.     

INTEGRATING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT STREAM NATURALIZATION NEAR CHICAGO,ILLINOIS1

ABSTRACT: Many urban and suburban communities in the Midwest are seeking to establish sustainable, morphologically and hydraulically varied, yet dynamically stable fluvial systems that are capable of supporting healthy, biologically diverse aquatic ecosystems — a process known as stream naturalization. This paper describes an integrated research program that seeks to develop a scientific and technological framework to support two stream naturalization projects near Chicago, Illinois. The research program integrates theory and methods in fluvial geomorphology, aquatic ecology, hydraulic engineering and social theory. Both the conceptual and the practical challenges of that integration are discussed. Scientific and technical support emphasize the development of predictive tools to evaluate the performance of possible naturalization designs at scales most appropriate to community based projects. Social analysis focuses on place based evaluations of how communities formulate an environmental vision and then, through decision making, translate this vision into specific stream naturalization strategies. Integration of scientific and technical with social components occurs in the context of community based decision making as the predictive tools are employed by project scientists to help local communities translate their environmental visions into concrete environmental designs. Social analysis of this decision making process reveals how the interplay between the community's vision of what they want the watershed to become, and the scientific perspective on what the watershed can become to achieve the community's environmental goals, leads to the implementation of specific stream naturalization practices.     

ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY OF NUMERICAL RIVER MODELS1

ABSTRACT: Over the last 20 years, our possibilities to model river flows numerically have increased enormously. In this paper, the question is addressed whether a more sophisticated model is always better than a simpler one. Increased detail, both in finer resolution and in physical processes taken into account, has its price in more computer time, higher data need, and perhaps more unknown coefficients to be calibrated. Moreover, uncertainty in actual physical conditions (e.g., bottom roughness), inflow and parameters remains, which may dominate the uncertainty of the results. Also, the questions asked by a decision maker may not always be very precise. For a schematic but relevant example, we show that a better model does not necessarily give more reliable results because some of the basic uncertainties remain. It is concluded that we should use the simplest model that will answer the question as to the accuracy needed, taking into account uncertainties in the data     

OPTIMIZING WELL PLACEMENT IN A COASTAL AQUIFER: OUTER CAPE COD,MASSACHUSETTS1

ABSTRACT: An inverse‐simulation approach is used to determine optimal strategies for developing public water‐supply systems in a shallow, coastal aquifer on the outermost arm of the Cape Cod peninsula in Massachusetts. Typically a forward simulation (or “trial and error”) approach is used to find best pumping strategies, but the chances of finding success with this tact diminish as the number of potential options grows large. Well locations and pumping rates are optimized with respect to: (1) providing sufficient water to areas of water‐quality impairment, (2) minimizing impacts to nearby surface waters, (3) preventing saltwater contamination due to overpumping, and (4) minimizing financial cost of well development. Potential well sites and water‐supply scenarios are separated into “politically‐based” and “resource‐based” categories to gain insight into the degree that pre‐existing political boundaries hinder best management practices. The approach provides a promising tool in transboundary water‐resources settings because it allows stakeholders to find solutions that best meet everyone's goals, as opposed to pursuing options that will create conflict, or are less than optimal.     

USING SOIL TEXTURE TO ESTIMATE SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY AND THE IMPACT ON RAINFALL-RUNOFF SIMULATIONS1

ABSTRACT: In this paper a new set of soil texture data is used to estimate the spatial distribution of saturated hydraulic conductivity values for a small rangeland catchment. The estimates of conductivity are used to re-excite and re-evaluate a quasi-physically based rainfall-runoff model. The performance of the model is significantly reduced with conductivity estimates gleaned from soil texture data rather than the infiltration data used in our previous efforts.     

MULTICRITERIA PROGRAMMING OF WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS FOR RURAL AREAS1

ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to present a multicriteria methodology for decision aid at the stage of programming a water supply system (WSS) for a rural area. The programming stage is an intermediate one between planning and designing water supply facilities, and can be decomposed into two problems: (a) setting up a priority order of water users, taking into account socio-economic criteria; and (b) choosing the best technical variant of the WSS. Among the criteria considered for the latter problem, there is a criterion of distance between the socio-economic priorities of users and the precedence orders of users according to the technical programming, which plays a coordinating role between problems (a) and (b). All steps of the presented methodology are illustrated by a real case study.     

DETERMINATION OF BEST TIMING FOR POULTRY WASTE DISPOSAL: A MODELING APPROACH1

ABSTRACT: Confined production of poultry results in significant volumes of waste material which are typically disposed of by land application. Concerns over the potential environmental impacts of poultry waste disposal have resulted in ongoing efforts to develop management practices which maintain high quality of water downstream of disposal areas. The timing of application to minimize waste constituent losses is a management practice with the potential to ensure high quality of streams, rivers, and lakes downstream of receiving areas. This paper describes the development and application of a method to identify which time of year is best, from the standpoint of surface water quality, for land application of poultry waste. The procedure consists of using a mathematical simulation model to estimate average nitrogen and phosphorus losses resulting from different application timings, and then identifying the timings which minimize losses of these nutrients. The procedure was applied to three locations in Arkansas, and three different criteria for optimality of application timing were investigated. One criterion was oriented strictly to water quality, one was oriented only to crop production, and the last was a combination. The criteria resulted in different windows of time being identified as optimal. Optimal windows also varied with location of the receiving area. The results indicate that it is possible to land-apply poultry waste at times which both minimize nutrient losses and maximize crop yield.     

ESTIMATING MARYLAND CRITICAL AREA ACVS IMPACT ON FUTURE NONPOINT POLLUTION ALONG THE RHODE RWER ESTUARY1

ABSTRACT: This paper presents the results of an investigation of the effects of the Maryland Critical Area Act on generation of non-point source loads of phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment to the Rhode River estuary. The Simple Method model, the Marcus and Kearney regression model, and the CREAMS model were used to estimate annual loads under: (1) present conditions, (2) maximum land use development allowable under the Act, and (3) two sets of future land use conditions that might occur if the Act were not in place. Results indicate that the Critical Area Act can reduce the present generation of nonpoint nutrient and sediment loadings 20–30 percent from the regulated area. These reductions can occur while preserving agricultural lands and allowing limited residential and urban development. The decrease in nutrient loadings is primarily dependent upon implementation and enforcement of agricultural best management practices (BMPs). The BMPs could reduce present agricultural nutrient loadings by 90 percent to a level comparable to loadings from residential areas. The estimated effectiveness of the Critical Area Act is even greater when compared to potential future nutrient loadings if development in the area remains unregulated. Unrestricted residential and urban development could increase nutrient loadings by 200 percent to 1000 percent as compared to controlled development under Critical Area Act guidelines. The Critical Area Act primarily prevents these future increases by severely limiting woodland cutting, with lesser results obtained by requiring urban BMPs.     

GROUND-WATER RECHARGE THROUGH ACTWE SAND DUNES IN NORTHWESTERN NEVADA1

ABSTRACT: Most water-resouree investigations in semiarid basins of the Great Basin in western North America conclude that ground-water recharge from direct precipitation on the valley floor is negligible. However, many of these basins contain large areas covered by unvegetated, active sand dunes that may act as conduits for ground-water recharge. The potential for this previously undocumented recharge was investigated in an area covered by sand dunes in Desert Valley, northwestern Nevada, using a deep percolation model. The model uses daily measurements of precipitation and temperature th determine energy and moisture balances, from which estimates of long-term mean annual recharge are made. For the study area, the model calculated a mean annual recharge rate of as much as 1.3 inches per year, or 17 percent of the long-term mean precipitation. Model simulations also indicate that recharge would be virtually zero if the study area were covered by vegetation rather than dunes.     

Application of a GIS-based stream buffer generation model to environmental policy evaluation

In this article a GIS method is presented for riparian environmental buffer generation. It integrates a scientifically tested buffer width delineation model into a GIS framework. Using the generally available data sets, it determines buffer widths in terms of local physical conditions and expected effectiveness. Technical burdens of data management, computation, and result presentation are handled by the GIS. The case study in which the method was used to evaluate the stream buffer regulations in a North Carolina county demonstrates its capability as a decision support tool to facilitate environmental policy formulation and evaluation, and environmental dispute resolution.