Final BMP Modeling Workshop

Final BMPModeling Workshop

September 29, 2011

UB Geography Department

Sponsored by the Buffalo District of the

US Army Corps of Engineers.

Workshop Outline

• Intro to Baseline Models & Case Studies• Overview of BMPs by Scale• Large-Scale Watershed Models (ArcSWAT)• Break• Small –Scale Hillslope BMPs (WEPP)• Lunch

Workshop Outline

• Medium-Scale Watershed BMPs (GeoWEPP)• Break• Modeling Flood Levels & BMPs (HEC-GeoRAS)• Break• Instructor Assisted Self-Paced Exercises• Wrap-up & Closing Comments

Workshop Outline


What Have We Done?

• Engaged with Stakeholders• Acquired / modified / refined / verified required data

– DEM, soils, landuse, cross section profiles• Developed verifiable baseline models (Catt Creek and Clear Creek)• Conducted field trips and workshops for two-way knowledge transfer• Delineated watershed and stream networks to maximize sub-basins <

5 sq km• Chose BMPs to simulate• Chose modeling software to match basin size and BMPs to simulate• Selected sub-basins to model• Tested modeling software inputs or parameters to simulate BMPs• Evaluated model results

Baseline Models & Case Studies

What’s Next To Do?

• Conduct BMP Modeling Training Workshop (today)

• Continue to engage with Stakeholders• Acquire / modify / refine / verify required data– DEM, soils, landuse, cross section profiles

• Continue two-way knowledge transfer• Incorporate lessons learned in classroom setting• Develop and deliver a final written report


What Else Have We Done?

• Refined the Erie County LiDAR data to recalculate bank erosion volumes compared to IPLER/RIT LiDAR.




Black = Strong ReturnsWhite = No Returns



Red = ErosionYellow = NeutralGreen = Deposition

Workshop Outline


10,000 yrs

1,000 yrs

1 yr

1 mon

1 day

1 hr

1 min

Log time years

Log space km

10,000 km2

100 km2

1 km2

1 ha100 m2

1 cm2

420-2-4-6

-6

watershed

1 dm2 micro

plot

hill- slopesub-shed

basin

Weather / Climate Vegetation Management UnitSoil / Lithology Erosion Process Topographic Scale

1 m2

100 yrs

10 yrs

1MM km2

globe

-4

-2

0

2

4

-8

1 sec

Natural Variability & Role of Scale

splash

woodstand

canopy

buffer

grass

front

thunderstorm

breeze

long waves El Niño

interrill

rill

gully

fluvial

infiltration / moisture structure texture

depthtillage ridgehorticulture

orchard

forest

landscape evolution

catenacrop

climate change

BMPs by Scale

John Whitney’s most important agricultural BMPs on WNY farms:• Crop Rotation• Conservation Tillage• Nutrient Management• Pest Management• Buffers

Other supporting practices include:• Cover Crops (often part of the Conservation Tillage/Residue Management

package) but also important for organic matter improvements• Waste Management• Contour Farming• Strip Cropping

BMPs by Scale

Cover Crop Rotation Patterns

BMPs by Scale

Cover Crop Options

BMPs by Scale

Scale Dependent Model Simulations

• Models can only “see”/represent features larger than the basemap grid cell size

• Historic DEM cell sizes range from 90 m to 10 m, but most current USGS DEM areas are 30 m or 10 m grid cell sizes

• Models often aggregate landuse, soil, slope for the entire sub-basin to the DEM grid spatial reference and resolution

• BMPs which involve small changes like riparian grass buffers can be modeled without a spatial reference

1. WEPP models hillslopes (representative and real)2. GeoWEPP models small sub-basins (< 5 km2)3. ArcSWAT models for larger watershed (> 5 km2)4. HEC-GeoRAS models single channels and overbank area

Model Scale Dependencies

WEPP Hillslope Interface


Watershed vs. Flowpath Method• Watershed – aka offsite assessment– Measures sediment yield at the outlet point– Less memory intensive– Take less time– Identifies problem hillslopes– Uses Dominant Soil and Dominant Landuse

• Flowpath – aka onsite assessment– Measures soil loss at each raster cell– Memory hog– Can take some time– Identifies problem areas within a hillslope– Uses Soil and Landuse of each cell


Method ComparisonWatershedFlowpath


Watershed vs. Flowpath Methods

Watershed

Flowpath


Short-term & Long-Term Processes

• Short-term:– Single storm events which demonstrate watershed responses

to baseline conditions coupled with localized weather patterns– 5-year window (event year plus 2 yrs before and after)

• Long-term:– Statistically defined weather conditions based on historic

patterns which operate over much longer periods– 50-100 year window (models daily/hourly averages over time)– Allows return periods to be computed (100-yr, 500-yr, 1000-yr

storms and floods).

Workshop Outline


Workshop Outline


Workshop Outline


Workshop Outline


Workshop Outline


Workshop Outline


Workshop Outline


Workshop Outline


Workshop Outline


Workshop Outline


What Have We Done?

• Engaged with Stakeholders• Acquired / modified / refined / verified required data

– DEM, soils, landuse, cross section profiles• Developed verifiable baseline models (Catt Creek and Clear Creek)• Conducted field trips and workshops for two-way knowledge transfer• Delineated watershed and stream networks to maximize sub-basins <

5 sq km• Chose BMPs to simulate• Chose modeling software to match basin size and BMPs to simulate• Selected sub-basins to model• Tested modeling software inputs or parameters to simulate BMPs• Evaluated model results

Wrap-up & Closing Remarks

What’s Next To Do?

• Conduct BMP Modeling Training Workshop (today)

• Continue to engage with Stakeholders• Acquire / modify / refine / verify required data– DEM, soils, landuse, cross section profiles

• Continue two-way knowledge transfer• Incorporate lessons learned in classroom setting• Develop and deliver a final written report

Wrap-up & Closing Remarks

Documents

Final BMP Modeling Workshop