Abstract
Watershed management is essential in minimizing riverine and receiving water pollution. No watershed model is currently available that adequately model the large river basin system over long periods of time in a satisfied level of detail. Watershed models must be linked to riverine or other detailed receiving water models in order to adequately represent the intricacies of the physical system under study. Watershed models are used to provide “boundary conditions,” both hydrologic/hydraulic and nonpoint source loading fluxes, to the receiving water models. The objectives of this study were to develop an integrated watershed and riverine modeling system using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model and Hydrologic Engineering Center-River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) model to evaluate the transport and fate of nutrients and water quality impacts in large scale river basins. The SWAT model was constructed for the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) in an attempt to account for key elements associated with crop production and land use changes. The model was calibrated and validated by using 18 years of observed United States Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow discharge and water quality data. The SWAT model was used to predict flow and nutrient exports from each tributary within the watershed. The results were used as HEC-RAS model’s inputs through an interface. The HEC-RAS model was able to simulate the transport and fate of nutrients and dynamic changes in riverine nutrient concentrations. The integrated SWAT and HEC-RAS modeling system provides a systematic approach to modeling nonpoint nutrient sources, transport, and fate in a large scale river basin. The modeling system can be used to predict downstream water quality impacts with land use changes and assess the effectiveness of different watershed management practices whether directed toward nutrient source supply or abatement.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alexander RB, Smith RA, Schwarz GE. Effect of stream channel size on the delivery of nitrogen to the Gulf of Mexico. Nature. 2000;403:758–61.
Allen RG, Jensen ME, Wright JL, Burman RD. Operational estimates of evapotranspiration. Agron J. 1989;81:650–62.
Arnold JG, Allen PM. Estimating hydrologic budgets for three Illinois watersheds. J Hydrol. 1996;176:55–77.
Arnold JG, Srinivasan R, Muttiah RS, Williams JR. Large-area hydrologic modeling and assessment: part I. Model Dev J AWRA. 1998;34(1):73–89.
Bagnold RA. Bed-load transport by natural rivers. Water Resour Res. 1977;13:303–12.
Brown CL, Barnwell Jr. To the enhanced stream water quality models QUAL2E and QUAL2E-UNCAS documentation and user manual: USEPA. Environmental research laboratory. Athens. Georgia. 1987. EPA/600/3-85/040. p. 455.
Debele B, Srinivasan R, Parlange J-Y. Coupling upland watershed and downstream waterbody hydrodynamic and water quality models (SWAT and CE-QUAL-W2) for better water resources management in complex river basins. Environ Model Assess. 2008;13:135–53.
Devine J, Dorfman M, Rosselot KS. Missing Protection: Polluting the Mississippi river basin’s small streams and wetlands. October: Natural resources defense council issue paper; 2008.
Diaz RJ, Rosenberg R. Spreading dead zones and consequences for marine ecosystems. Science. 2008;321:926–8.
Gassman PW, Reyes MR, Green CH, Arnold JG. The soil and water assessment tool: historical development, applications, and future research directions. Trans ASABE. 2007;50(4):1211–50.
Hargreaves GH, Samani ZA. Reference crop evapotranspiration from temperature. Appl Eng Agric. 1985;1:96–9.
Lian Y, Chan I-C, Singh J, Demissie M, Knapp V, Xie H. Coupling of hydrologic and hydraulic models for the Illinois river Basin. J Hydrol. 2007;344:210–22.
McElroy AD, Chiu SY, Nebgen JW, Aleti A, Bennett FW. Loading functions for assessment of water pollution from nonpoint sources. Environ Prot Tech Serv.1976; EPA 600/2-76-151.
Mueller DK, Spahr NE. Nutrients in streams and rivers across the Nation—1992–2001: U.S. geological survey scientific investigations report 2006–5107 (2006).
Priestley CHB, Taylor RJ. On the assessment of surface heat flux and evaporation using large-scale parameters. Mon Weather Rev. 1972;100:81–2.
USDOE (U.S. Department of Energy) U.S. Billion Ton Update: Biomass supply for a bioenergy and bioproducts industry. Perlack RD and Stokes BJ (Leads). ORNL/TM-2011/224. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN.2011, p. 227.
USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: an update by the EPA Science Advisory Board, 2007. EPA-SAB-08-003.
Wetzel RG. Limnology, lake and river ecosystems. 3rd ed. San Diego: Academic Press; 2001. p. 1006.
Williams JR, Berndt HD. Sediment yield prediction based on watershed hydrology. Trans ASAE. 1977;1100–04.
Williams JR, Hann RW. Optimal operation of large agricultural watersheds with water quality constraints. Texas Water Resources Institute, Texas A&M University, Technical Report. No. 96, 1978
Zhang Z, Johnson BE. Aquatic nutrient simulation modules (NSM). ERDC/EL-12-X, Draft, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS. 2012.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Zhang, Z., Wu, M. (2013). Evaluating the Transport and Fate of Nutrients in Large Scale River Basins Using an Integrated Modeling System. In: Fu, B., Jones, K. (eds) Landscape Ecology for Sustainable Environment and Culture. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6530-6_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6530-6_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-6529-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-6530-6
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)