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Watershed Health Assessment Tools Investigating Fisheries
Citation:
JOHNSTON, J. M. Watershed Health Assessment Tools Investigating Fisheries. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/C-11/038, 2009.
Impact/Purpose:
see description
Description:
WHATIF is software that integrates a number of calculators, tools, and models for assessing the health of watersheds and streams with an emphasis on fish communities. The tool set consists of hydrologic and stream geometry calculators, a fish assemblage predictor, a fish habitat suitability calculator, macro-invertebrate biodiversity calculators, and a process-based model to predict biomass dynamics of stream biota (the BASS model).
The software is built upon a database of stream measurements which serve as inputs to the calculators and tools. The calculators and tools vary in complexity, and can take the form of regression-based predictions up to a process based fish population model, the Bioaccumulation and Aquatic System Simulator (BASS). The toolkit allows the user to investigate a location on a stream or river by examining the data that have been collected at the location, and using the data with the calculators to compare actual conditions with predicted or possible conditions.
For example, the Fish Assemblage Predictor might indicate that a stream in this location would likely support a trout population, while the data show that no trout have been observed. Then, the Habitat Suitability calculator could be used to examine the scores for trout to see if an explanation can be found in the current stream conditions. The user could explore what changes could be made to the stream, such as overhanging vegetation or erosion control, to allow trout to thrive. Finally, trout could be "stocked" in the simulation model to see if they persist and how other species are affected.
All of the data, both original observations and user-generated experimental data, are stored in the central database which allows access by any WHATIF tool or calculator. Thus, the output of one tool can become the input of another tool, and this feature is exploited by some calculators and tools with certain kinds of data.