WARMF Training Session for Truckee River Watershed

1
WARMF Training Session for Truckee River
Watershed

• Laura Weintraub
• Systech Engineering, Inc.
• September 13, 2006

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Workshop Agenda

• 1000 1200 Lecture
• Background on WARMF
• How will we use WARMF for TMDL?
• Coverage of TR watershed
• WARMF Calibration - non-point source load
  prediction
• WARMF--gtTRHSPF data transfer
• 1200 115 Lunch on your own
• 115 500 Hands-On How to run WARMF (15 min
  break 230)
• Install / Walk through WARMF Modules
• View Model Input/Output
• Example Scenario Septic System Removal

3
WARMF Background
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What Is a Model?

• Model n. A schematic description of a system,
  theory, or phenomenon that accounts for its known
  or inferred properties and may be used for
  further study of its characteristics.
• -The American Heritage Dictionary of the English
  Language Fourth Edition.  2000.

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Why Do We Use Models?
Problem
Decision
Results
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Why Do We Use Models?

• Model helps to answer What if?

Problem
Decision
Results
Planning
MODEL
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Types of Watershed Models

• Mass Balance Assessments
• Back of the envelope calculation, spreadsheet
• Low cost, easy to implement, numerous simplifying
  assumptions
• GIS-mapping-based Tools
• Link simple mass balance models to GIS databases
• Produce maps highlighting sensitive watershed
  regions
• Interesting but can lack quantitative information
• Mathematical Models
• Complex tools using differential equations to
  describe physical processes
• Rigorous, physically-based, provide dynamic
  simulation of system

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What is a Watershed Model?
Meteorological Conditions Air Quality

• Watershed Characteristics
• Land use
• Fertilizer
• Catchment areas/slope
• Soil characteristics
• Septic systems

• Managed Flow
• Diversions
• Reservoir Releases

Point Sources

• Watershed Model
• Adjustable parameters
• Precipitation weighting, temperature lapse
• Initial conditions
• Reaction rates
• BMPs
• Bank stability / vegetation factors

• Model Output
• Stream flow
• Water quality (nutrients, DO, Chl-a, TSS)
• Loading

COMPARISON

• Measured Data
• Hydrologic Conditions
• Water Quality

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How Does it Work?

• Model balances flows of mass into and out of
  linked control volumes (e.g. soil layer, river
  segment).

Rain, fertilizer, air deposition
Inflow from upstream river
Reactions
Reactions
Water flow w/ nutrients
Outflow to downstream river or reservoir
River or Reservoir
Catchment (land surface)
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What is WARMF?
Watershed Analysis Risk Management Framework

• GIS-based watershed model and DSS
• Physically based, dynamic model
• Simulates flow, temperature, nutrients TSS, DO,
  Fecal Coli, Chl-a, etc.,
• Friendly tool, easily transferred to stakeholders
• Well-suited for answering questions during the TR
  TMDL process

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Theoretical Basis of WARMF

• Based on algorithms from legacy models
• Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor Objects
• Catchment Stream Segment Lake Layer
• Dynamic Watershed Model, Daily Time Step
• Driven by Meteorology and Land Use Data
• Processes Kinetic Expressions
• Mass-Heat Balance Advection Diffusion Sink
  Source
• C(t) C(to) dC/dt ?t

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WARMF Credentials

• Applied to over 17 watersheds
• Hydrology, water quality, TMDLs, watershed
  planning
• 4 USEPA-Guided Peer Reviews
• Available as a Public Domain Tool via USEPA
• Compatible with EPA BASINS

WARMF Applications
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Questions WARMF Can Help Answer

• How will regional growth affect hydrology and
  water quality?
• What is the allowable loading of a pollutant to a
  river?
• What strategies will be effective for nonpoint
  load reduction?
• What is the effect of power production on water
  quality?

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How Will We Use WARMF for the Truckee River TMDL?

• Predict the nonpoint loading into the Truckee
  River
• Provide boundary condition loadings for TRHSPF
• Evaluate how nonpoint loading could change with
  varying land use, meteorological conditions,
  water use

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Truckee River TMDL Revision
WARMF Watershed Model Predicts nonpoint source
loads for input to TRHSPF
TRHSPF In-stream Water Quality Model Calculates
final TMDL analysis

• Why link models together?
• Daily predictions of flow and water quality
  better than monthly estimates used in past
• WARMF can predict impact of land use change on
  water quality
• Both models incorporate TROM, future land use
  conditions, and massive amounts of local
  watershed and river data

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WARMF TRHSPF Linkage

• TRHSPF Model Domain
• Thick yellow lines
• WARMF Boundary conditions
• Thick blue lines and shaded catchments

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WARMF Application to the Truckee River
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Model Development Process
Collect input and calibration data
Build model and analyze data
Calibrate model hydrology and water quality
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History of WARMF-Truckee

• WARMF Adaptation, 1998-2001
• Data Compilation
• Model Setup, Enhancement, Calibration
• Steamboat Creek, 1998-2000
• Model Comparison of WARMF vs. HSPF (Aqua Terra)
• Scenario Runs for USBR, 2003
• Supported TROA EIS/EIR
• Boundary conditions for DSAMMt
• Stakeholder Training, 2004
• Two day workshop sponsored by City of Reno
• Truckee River TMDL Revision, 2005-2007
• Updated database through 2004
• Low-flow simulation improvements
• Model Calibration Refinement
• WARMF Training
• Scenario Runs to support TMDL Revision

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Watershed Processes in Truckee River
Snow Melt
Rainfall
Heat
Reservoirs
Lake Tahoe
Irrigation Return
Septage
Evaporation
Pyramid Lake
TMWRF
Groundwater Seepage
Water Plant
Steamboat Creek/ Tributaries
Huffaker Reservoir
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WARMF Input Data
Data Source Details
DEM USGS Map delineated to 94 catchments, 78 river segments, 7 reservoirs
Meteorology NCDC, SNOTEL Reno, Stateline, Tahoe City, Mt. Rose, Truckee, Virginia City, Wadsworth, Big Meadow
Reservoir USGS, USBR, CDEC Release, Bathymetry, Elevation
Land Use Washoe Co., BASINS 11 Land uses
Air Quality NADP Smith Valley, Lyon County
Diversion Federal Water Master 46 Diversions
Point Source TMWRF, NDEP, TTSA 2 Major, 5 Minor
Observed Stream Flow USGS 28 Stations
Observed Water Quality NDEP, STORET, TMWRF, LRWQCB, T-TSA 38 Stations
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How Complete and Thorough is WARMFs coverage of
the Truckee River Watershed?

• Land Use
• Two Projections Current and 2020 projection
• 12 Land Use Categories
• Map extent
• Lake Tahoe down to Pyramid Lake
• Water Quantity
• meteorogically driven simulations
• water diversion, irrigation and return flows
• USBR reservoir releases
• Point sources
• Major TTSA and TMWRF
• Several minor

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How Complete and Thorough is WARMFs coverage of
the Truckee River Watershed?

• Anthropogenic loads
• septic systems
• urban surface loading
• pasture loading
• confined feeding stockyard
• reuse application
• reservoir leakage??
• Natural loading
• air deposition
• steamboat hot springs
• ground water accrual near fernley

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What is WARMFs Predictive Capacity for Nonpoint
Loads? ? Calibration

• Adjust model parameters, reaction rates, etc.
  until simulated flow or concentration is as close
  as possible to observed data
• Start with hydrology, then water quality
• Use visual inspection and statistical output to
  determine goodness of fit

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Periods of WARMF Simulations

• Model Calibration
• 10/1/1990 12/31/1997
• Model Validation (use same model parameters with
  different input data set)
• 10/1/1997 12/31/2004
• 10/1/1985 12/31/1990

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Calibration Parameters

• Hydrology
• Water Quality
• Sediment Transport

Catchment Watershed Precipitation weighting Snow
formation temperature Temperature lapse Snow
melting temperature Soil thickness Melting
rates Field capacity Hydraulic conductivity Surfac
e roughness
Catchment River Land Use Initial soil Reaction
rates Fertilization/surface loading
rates concentration (nitrification, SOD,
Productivity Adsorption organic carbon
decay) Litter fall and uptake coefficients Soil
and foliar nitrification
Catchment River Land Use Soil erosivity Initial
sediment depth Rainfall detachment
factor Particle content Detachment velocity
multiplier Flow detachment factor Detachment
velocity exponent Cropping factor Particle
content
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Hydrology Truckee River at Reno/Sparks
1990-1997
1998-2004
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Total Nitrogen Truckee River at Reno/Sparks
1998-2004
1990-1997
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Total Phosphorus Truckee River at Reno/Sparks
1990-1997
1998-2004
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Total Dissolved Solids Truckee River at
Reno/Sparks
1990-1997
1998-2004
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Hydrology Steamboat Creek at Cleanwater Way
1998-2004
1990-1997
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Total Nitrogen Steamboat Creek at Cleanwater Way
1990-1997
1998-2004
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Total Phosphorus Steamboat Creek at Cleanwater
Way
1990-1997
1998-2004
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Total Dissolved Solids Steamboat Creek at
Cleanwater Way
1990-1997
1998-2004
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Hydrology Truckee River at Vista
1990-1997
1998-2004
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Total Nitrogen Truckee River at Vista
1990-1997
1998-2004
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Total Phosphorus Truckee River at Vista
1990-1997
1998-2004
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Total Dissolved Solids Truckee River at Vista
1990-1997
1998-2004
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Loading Output
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Calibration Refinement

• Revisiting data limitations and model assumptions
• Septic systems
• Litterfall / uptake rates
• Soil hydrology in Steamboat Creek region
• Air quality
• TTSA data assumptions (e.g. use well data, apply
  time lag)
• Urban surface loading rates
• Upstream reservoir contributions (e.g. seasonal
  patterns of N)
• Additional sources of loading
• Confined feeding
• Reservoir leakage
• QA/QC Data for Calibration
• Ensure all appropriate data is included for
  calibration comparison
• Review calibration data with scatter. Remove
  extraneous data
• Finalize Calibration and Prepare Report

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WARMF TRHSPF Linkage

• TRHSPF Model Domain
• Thick yellow lines
• WARMF Boundary conditions
• Thick blue lines and shaded catchments

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WARMF ? TRHSPF Data Transfer

• Linkage Upstream boundary (Glendale),
  tributaries, local catchments draining to TR
• Define scenarios to be run
• WARMF Input TROM outflows, 2020 land use
• WARMF output generated using export tool
• Daily predictions of flow and water quality
• Impact of land use change on water quality
• Impact of water management on nonpoint loads

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WARMF Output Export Tool
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Installation of WARMF
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WARMF Installation

• Installation Directory
• c\program files\systech\warmf\truckee
• CD Contents
• WARMF model
• Database for Truckee River Basin
• Calibration, validation and ConvertSeptic
  scenario results
• Warmfdoc.pdf Documentation
• WarmfUsersGuide.pdf Users Guide
• Knowledge Module Files

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Walk Through WARMF Modules
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Engineering and Data Modules
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Subwatershed Breakpoints

• Break system into smaller sections
• Boundary condition file created at each
  breakpoint (flowqout.ID)
• View / Subwatersheds
• Automatic breaks at each reservoir
• Click on river to set new breakpoint
• To run independently
• Must be a headwater sectionOR
• Subwatershed above already run with same
  simulation period (flowqout.ID file for upstream
  must exist)

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Data Module

• Data driving simulation
• Time Series meteorology, air quality, managed
  flow, point sources
• Scenario Data land use, fertilizer, physical
  data, reaction rates, sediment coefficients
• Calibration data
• Observed hydrology and water quality
• Insert or add rows
• Copy and paste from Excel
• Document source of data

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Scenario Management
Project Files (Truckee)
Watershed Data (pts, met, air, etc.)
FILE SAVE
SCENARIO SAVE
Scenario Data (Base90to97)
Scenario Data (ConvertSeptic)
Scenario Data (StRest)
Projects can have any number of scenarios, but
only 4 can be open at any given time.
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Project Files
General for all scenarios Truckee.wsh map
file Truckee.wsm name of .wsh file number of
scenarios list of scenarios name of consensus
file Truckee.con consensus file stakeholder
information intended use / criteria saved
TMDLs list of pictures
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Scenario Data (Base90to97, ConvertSeptic, etc.)
Viewed through Engineering module and modified to
generate new scenarios. INPUTBase.coe -
coefficients, rates, land use, fertilizer OUTPUT
Base.cat catchment outputBase.riv river
outputBase.lak lake outputBase.psm loading
output
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Watershed Data Files
Viewed through data module .air air quality
.met meteorology data .pts point source
data .flo release and diversion data .orh
observed river flow .orc observed river
WQ .olh observed lake elevation .olc
observed lake WQ .pic picture files .avi
picture files
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Create a New Scenario

1. Select BASE as active scenario
2. Go to scenario manager and click on COPY
3. OK to copy active scenario? YES
4. Type in new scenario name
5. Open the new scenario (close others if necessary)
6. Make it active by selecting it under Scenario
   Menu
7. Do a FILE SAVE to save new scenario configuration
8. Do a SCENARIO SAVE to save new data

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Time and Space Savers

• Reduce Simulation Time
• Run smaller subwatersheds
• Run a shorter time period
• Turn off chemistry
• Conserve Hard Drive Space
• Turn off constituents Edit / Output List
• Turn off catchments, rivers, etc. Input Dialogs
  / Write Output to File
• Delete Old Scenarios Scenario / Delete

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Consensus Module
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Loading and WQ

• Must have Generate Loading checked in Run Dialog
  to view results
• Select River or Reservoir to add or delete
  loading chart
• Double click on loading chart for values
• Loading only calculated for subwatersheds that
  are run

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TMDL Module
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TMDL Procedure

• TMDL WLALAFGMOS
• Water Quality Limited Sections (WQLS)
• Intended Use
• Multiple Possible Solutions
• Cost Sharing or Pollution Trading
• Stakeholder Involvement

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Knowledge Module
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Files Contained in Knowledge Module

• BeneficialUses.xls
• Spreadsheet showing the beneficial uses and
  criteria for California, Nevada, PLPT
• TMDL.pdf
• Truckee River TMDL, NDEP 1993
• IrrigationSpreadsheet.xls
• Spreadsheet used to allocate diversion water back
  to individual land catchments
• SBCreekModelCompare.pdf
• Report of model comparison between WARMF and HSPF
  in Steamboat Creek region
• WARMFPeerReview.pdf
• WARMF Peer Review publication, EPRI 2000
• WARMFTruckeeFinal02.pdf
• WARMF- Truckee modeling final report, Systech
  Engineering (updated 2002)

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Potential Scenario Development

• Livestock Exclusion
• River Restoration

• Septic System Conversion
• Water Management (TROM, conservation, modified
  diversions)

WARMFs Consensus Module
McCarran Ranch Restoration Site
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Example Problem

• Septic System Conversion

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Example Septic System Conversion

• Retire 924 Septic Systems in Verdi region
• Add domestic waste from these residences to TMWRF
  discharge

Truckee River at Verdi
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Step 1 Create New Scenario
1. Use Scenario Manager to make a duplicate copy
of base run
3. Make sure scenario is open
2. Copy to a new name (ConvertSeptic)
4. Make sure scenario is active
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Step 2 Remove Septic Systems

• Reduce Population Served by Septics in 5
  specified catchments
• Locate catchments in table using Edit / Find
• Open catchment and change value in the Population
  Served by Septics field.

Catchment ID Existing Population Served Tanks Converted Converted Population New Population Served
418 1296 540 1296 0
2274 1654 87 209 1445
419 31 22 31 0
2273 485 157 377 108
420 250 118 250 0
Total 3716 924 2163 1553
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Step 3 Add Additional Load to TMWRF

1. Locate River Segment with TMWRF using Edit / Find
   (by ID 67 or by name TMWRF). May need to
   zoom in to see it.
2. Replace existing TMWRF point source file with new
   file (TMWRFConvSeptic.pts)

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Step 4. Run Scenario

1. Select Scenario / Save.
2. Select Scenario / Run to open run dialog. Click
   OK. Let it chug along

1. Simulation Complete! Close dialog.

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Step 5 View Output

• Decrease in nonpoint loading (septic system
  category).
• Increase in point source loading
• Overall decrease in loading

Loading Comparison Septic System Loading (kg/d) Septic System Loading (kg/d) Point Source Loading (kg/d) Point Source Loading (kg/d) ?Loading (kg/d)
Loading Comparison Base Convert Septic Base Convert Septic ?Loading (kg/d)
Nitrate 2.38 1.35 43.8 44 -0.83
Total Nitrogen 4.04 1.91 347 349 -0.13
Total Phosphorus 0.565 0.186 41.6 41.9 -0.079
Fecal Coli. (1e6/d) 7.21e6 2.37e6 5150 5170 -4.84e5
BOD 45.1 15.3 770 775 -24.8
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More Example Problems in Handout

• Water Augmentation / Land Use Change
• Stream Restoration / Livestock Management