Water-Quality Modeling Group Active
The USGS Oregon Water Science Center water-quality modeling group develops and uses models at a range of scales, from those that focus on a specific reservoir or river reach to large-scale nutrient models of the entire Pacific Northwest.
In the field of surface water, a water-quality model is a mathematical representation of a river, stream, lake, or reservoir. These models include equations and algorithms that describe the processes affecting temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, alkalinity, nutrients, organic matter, toxics, aquatic plants, algae, and/or suspended sediment. Streamflow or circulation patterns are often a component of water-quality modeling, because mass transport is critical to water-quality cycles.
The USGS Oregon Water Science Center (ORWSC) water-quality modeling group develops and uses models at a range of scales, from those that focus on a specific reservoir or river reach to large-scale nutrient models of the entire Pacific Northwest.
Water-quality models have many applications and can be used to:
- Identify controlling water-quality processes
- Pinpoint data needs and target fieldwork
- Estimate water quality in areas without monitoring data
- Support TMDL analyses
- Explore water-quality effects of management options, restoration, or environmental change
Models from one to three dimensions are used within the USGS Oregon Water Science Center. Modeling tools in use include CE-QUAL-W2 (W2), SPARROW, PRMS, UnTRIM, RBM-10, HEC-RAS, SELDM, and various artificial neural network (ANN) and spreadsheet-based and custom models built with R and perl. Optimization of model parameter values sometimes utilizes the parameter estimation software PEST.
Water-quality modeling at ORWSC is conducted in cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies. Technical modeling assistance is also provided to others within USGS. Collaboration with biologists, resource managers, regulators and others interested in water quality has been a natural outgrowth of the modeling program.
Feel free to contact Daniel Wise if you would like know more about this group.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
SPARROW Model Assessments of Nutrients and Suspended Sediment in the Pacific Northwest and California
Upper Klamath River Basin Forecasts
Henry Hagg Lake Water-Quality Model
Tualatin River Basin Water Quality Assessment
Water Quality in Keno Reach of the Klamath River
Detroit Lake Temperature and Suspended Sediment Model
Below are publications associated with this project.
Using regional watershed data to assess water-quality impairment in the Pacific Drainages of the United States
Modeling water temperature response to dam operations and water management in Green Peter and Foster Lakes and the South Santiam River, Oregon
Evaluation of restoration alternatives using hydraulic models of lake outflow at Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge, northwestern Oregon
Modeling a 2- and 4-foot drawdown in the Link River to Keno Dam reach of the upper Klamath River, south-central Oregon
Assessing potential effects of highway and urban runoff on receiving streams in total maximum daily load watersheds in Oregon using the stochastic empirical loading and dilution model
Spatially referenced models of streamflow and nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended-sediment loads in streams of the Pacific region of the United States
Updates to the suspended sediment SPARROW model developed for western Oregon and northwestern California
Modeling hydrodynamics, water temperature, and water quality in Klamath Straits Drain, Oregon and California, 2012–15
Assessing roadway contributions to stormwater flows, concentrations, and loads with the StreamStats application
Modeling water quality, temperature, and flow in Link River, south-central Oregon
A spatially explicit suspended-sediment load model for western Oregon
Development of a CE-QUAL-W2 temperature model for Crystal Springs Lake, Portland, Oregon
Below are software products associated with this project.
SPARROW modeling: Estimating contaminant transport
SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) models estimate the amount of a contaminant transported from inland watersheds to larger water bodies by linking monitoring data with information on watershed characteristics and contaminant sources.
CE-QUAL-W2 - Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Model
CE-QUAL-W2 is a water quality and hydrodynamic model in 2D (longitudinal-vertical) for rivers, estuaries, lakes, reservoirs and river basin systems. W2 models basic eutrophication processes such as temperature-nutrient-algae-dissolved oxygen-organic matter and sediment relationships.
SELDM: Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model - Software page
Overview
The Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM) is designed to transform complex scientific data into meaningful information about the risk of adverse effects of runoff on receiving waters, the potential need for mitigation measures, and the potential effectiveness of such management measures for reducing these risks.
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
The USGS Oregon Water Science Center water-quality modeling group develops and uses models at a range of scales, from those that focus on a specific reservoir or river reach to large-scale nutrient models of the entire Pacific Northwest.
In the field of surface water, a water-quality model is a mathematical representation of a river, stream, lake, or reservoir. These models include equations and algorithms that describe the processes affecting temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, alkalinity, nutrients, organic matter, toxics, aquatic plants, algae, and/or suspended sediment. Streamflow or circulation patterns are often a component of water-quality modeling, because mass transport is critical to water-quality cycles.
The USGS Oregon Water Science Center (ORWSC) water-quality modeling group develops and uses models at a range of scales, from those that focus on a specific reservoir or river reach to large-scale nutrient models of the entire Pacific Northwest.
Water-quality models have many applications and can be used to:
- Identify controlling water-quality processes
- Pinpoint data needs and target fieldwork
- Estimate water quality in areas without monitoring data
- Support TMDL analyses
- Explore water-quality effects of management options, restoration, or environmental change
Models from one to three dimensions are used within the USGS Oregon Water Science Center. Modeling tools in use include CE-QUAL-W2 (W2), SPARROW, PRMS, UnTRIM, RBM-10, HEC-RAS, SELDM, and various artificial neural network (ANN) and spreadsheet-based and custom models built with R and perl. Optimization of model parameter values sometimes utilizes the parameter estimation software PEST.
Water-quality modeling at ORWSC is conducted in cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies. Technical modeling assistance is also provided to others within USGS. Collaboration with biologists, resource managers, regulators and others interested in water quality has been a natural outgrowth of the modeling program.
Feel free to contact Daniel Wise if you would like know more about this group.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
SPARROW Model Assessments of Nutrients and Suspended Sediment in the Pacific Northwest and California
SPARROW can be used to relate water-quality data to landscape characteristics, such as natural properties and human activitiesUpper Klamath River Basin Forecasts
"Determining water availability in the Upper Klamath Basin has always had a degree of uncertainty as a result of the complex hydrology and geology in the region and limited streamflow data."Henry Hagg Lake Water-Quality Model
Henry Hagg Lake is a reservoir located in the foothills of the eastern slope of the Coast Range Mountains of northwestern Oregon. The lake is used for recreation in the summer and flood control in the winter.Tualatin River Basin Water Quality Assessment
In 1990, the USGS began assessing water-quality in the Tualatin River. Almost 30 years later, we are still monitoring conditions in the basin.Water Quality in Keno Reach of the Klamath River
The U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and Watercourse Engineering, Inc. are collaborating to develop knowledge and tools to better manage water quality in the Link-Keno reach of the Klamath River and the Lost River.Detroit Lake Temperature and Suspended Sediment Model
The USGS has worked since 1998 to monitor and study sediment and turbidity throughout the North Santiam River watershed. As part of that assessment, a focused effort was undertaken to examine the effect that Detroit Lake has on temperature issues and sediment transport. In particular, developing a model that simulates the transport and fate of suspended sediment and the dynamics of water... - Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 38Using regional watershed data to assess water-quality impairment in the Pacific Drainages of the United States
Two datasets containing the first complete estimates of reach-scale nutrient, water use, dissolved oxygen, and pH conditions for the Pacific drainages of the United States were created to help inform water-quality management decisions in that region. The datasets were developed using easily obtainable watershed data, most of which have not been available until recently, and the techniques that werAuthorsDaniel R. WiseModeling water temperature response to dam operations and water management in Green Peter and Foster Lakes and the South Santiam River, Oregon
Significant FindingsGreen Peter and Foster Dams have altered natural seasonal temperature patterns in the South and Middle Santiam Rivers of the Willamette River Basin in northwestern Oregon. Cold-water releases from Green Peter Dam, upstream of Foster Lake, contribute to the cool-water conditions at Foster Dam. In summer, unseasonably cold water typically is discharged from Foster Dam into the FoAuthorsAnnett B. Sullivan, Stewart A. RoundsEvaluation of restoration alternatives using hydraulic models of lake outflow at Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge, northwestern Oregon
Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge near the city of Gaston in northwestern Oregon was established in 2013, and planning is underway to restore a more natural lake and wetland system after more than 100 years of agricultural activity on the lakebed. Several water-management and restoration alternatives are under consideration, one of which involves opening and reconnecting Wapato Lake’s outlet toAuthorsStewart A. Rounds, Stephen L. Pilson, Annett B. Sullivan, Adam J. StonewallModeling a 2- and 4-foot drawdown in the Link River to Keno Dam reach of the upper Klamath River, south-central Oregon
Executive SummaryThe most upstream, pooled reach of the Klamath River in south-central Oregon, from Link River mouth to Keno Dam (Link-Keno), has a water-surface elevation that remains relatively constant throughout the year. Two model scenarios, using an existing two-dimensional hydrodynamic and water-quality model (CE-QUAL-W2), were constructed to examine the effects of lowering the water-surfacAuthorsAnnett B. Sullivan, Stewart A. RoundsAssessing potential effects of highway and urban runoff on receiving streams in total maximum daily load watersheds in Oregon using the stochastic empirical loading and dilution model
The Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM) was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration to simulate stormwater quality. To assess the effects of runoff, SELDM uses a stochastic mass-balance approach to estimate combinations of pre-storm streamflow, stormflow, highway runoff, event mean concentrations (EMCs) and stormwateAuthorsAdam J. Stonewall, Gregory E. Granato, Kira M. Glover-CutterSpatially referenced models of streamflow and nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended-sediment loads in streams of the Pacific region of the United States
Although spatial information describing the supply and quality of surface water is critical for managing water resources for human uses and for ecological health, monitoring is expensive and cannot typically be done over large scales or in all streams or waterbodies. To address the need for such data, the U.S. Geological Survey developed SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPAAuthorsDaniel R. WiseUpdates to the suspended sediment SPARROW model developed for western Oregon and northwestern California
A SPARROW (SPAtially Related Regressions On Watershed attributes) model that was previously developed for western Oregon and northwestern California was updated using advancements in the SPARROW software and refinements to the input data. As was the case for the original model calibration, the updated models used the NHD Plus Version 2 as a hydrologic framework and relied on the same estimates ofAuthorsDaniel R. WiseModeling hydrodynamics, water temperature, and water quality in Klamath Straits Drain, Oregon and California, 2012–15
Executive SummaryLocated southwest of Klamath Falls, Oregon, Klamath Straits Drain is a 10.1-mile-long canal that conveys water uphill and northward through the use of pumps before discharging to the Klamath River. Klamath Straits Drain traverses an area that historically encompassed Lower Klamath Lake. Currently, the Drain receives water from farmland and from parts of the Lower Klamath Lake NatiAuthorsAnnett B. Sullivan, Stewart A. RoundsAssessing roadway contributions to stormwater flows, concentrations, and loads with the StreamStats application
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and other state departments of transportation need quantitative information about the percentages of different land cover categories above any given stream crossing in the state to assess and address roadway contributions to water-quality impairments and resulting total maximum daily loads. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with ODOT and theAuthorsAdam Stonewall, Gregory E. Granato, Tana HaluskaModeling water quality, temperature, and flow in Link River, south-central Oregon
The 2.1-km (1.3-mi) Link River connects Upper Klamath Lake to the Klamath River in south-central Oregon. A CE-QUAL-W2 flow and water-quality model of Link River was developed to provide a connection between an existing model of the upper Klamath River and any existing or future models of Upper Klamath Lake. Water-quality sampling at six locations in Link River was done during 2013–15 to support moAuthorsAnnett B. Sullivan, Stewart A. RoundsA spatially explicit suspended-sediment load model for western Oregon
We calibrated the watershed model SPARROW (Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed attributes) to give estimates of suspended-sediment loads for western Oregon and parts of northwestern California. Estimates of suspended-sediment loads were derived from a nonlinear least squares regression that related explanatory variables representing landscape and transport conditions to measured suspendeAuthorsDaniel R. Wise, Jim O'ConnorDevelopment of a CE-QUAL-W2 temperature model for Crystal Springs Lake, Portland, Oregon
During summer 2014, lake level, streamflow, and water temperature in and around Crystal Springs Lake in Portland, Oregon, were measured by the U.S. Geological Survey and the City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services to better understand the effect of the lake on Crystal Springs Creek and Johnson Creek downstream. Johnson Creek is listed as an impaired water body for temperature by the OregAuthorsNorman L. Buccola, Adam J. Stonewall - Software
Below are software products associated with this project.
SPARROW modeling: Estimating contaminant transport
SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) models estimate the amount of a contaminant transported from inland watersheds to larger water bodies by linking monitoring data with information on watershed characteristics and contaminant sources.
CE-QUAL-W2 - Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Model
CE-QUAL-W2 is a water quality and hydrodynamic model in 2D (longitudinal-vertical) for rivers, estuaries, lakes, reservoirs and river basin systems. W2 models basic eutrophication processes such as temperature-nutrient-algae-dissolved oxygen-organic matter and sediment relationships.
SELDM: Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model - Software page
Overview
The Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM) is designed to transform complex scientific data into meaningful information about the risk of adverse effects of runoff on receiving waters, the potential need for mitigation measures, and the potential effectiveness of such management measures for reducing these risks.
- Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.