Grantee Research Project Results
2004 Progress Report: Mechanistic-based Watershed Modeling for Evaluation of Ecosystem Conditions
EPA Grant Number: R827956Title: Mechanistic-based Watershed Modeling for Evaluation of Ecosystem Conditions
Investigators: Yeh, Gour-Tsyh , Zhang, Fan , Cheng, Hwai-Ping , Cheng, Jing-Ru
Current Investigators: Yeh, Gour-Tsyh , Schayek, Lily , Gwo, J. P.
Institution: University of Central Florida
Current Institution: Pennsylvania State University
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: January 10, 2000 through September 30, 2003 (Extended to September 30, 2005)
Project Period Covered by this Report: January 10, 2004 through September 30, 2005
Project Amount: $888,637
RFA: Computing Technology for Ecosystem Modeling (1999) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Environmental Statistics
Objective:
The objectives of this research project are to complete and document water quality modules of a physics-based watershed model and to implement high-performance parallel computing to the computational model WASH123D.
Progress Summary:
To accomplish the above objectives a general paradigm of diagonalizing reaction-based approaches was adapted and implemented in a computational watershed model, WASH123D.
In addition, a parallel version of WASH123D, p-WASH123D, was developed. A software-engineering approach was used to parallelize efficiently the complex coupling algorithms. The resulting software toolkit encapsulates the parallel data structures and message passing required for multidomain/process interactions.
The unique aspects of the general paradigm are to simultaneously: (1) facilitate the segregation (isolation) of linearly independent kinetic reactions and, thus, enable the formulation and parameterization of individual rates one reaction by one reaction when linearly dependent kinetic reactions are absent; (2) enable the inclusion of virtually any type of equilibrium expressions and kinetic rates users want to specify; (3) reduce problem stiffness by eliminating all fast reactions from the set of ordinary equations governing the evolution of kinetic variables; (4) perform systematic operations to remove redundant fast reactions and irrelevant kinetic reactions; (5) define systematically chemical components and explicitly enforce mass conservation; (6) accomplish automation in decoupling fast reactions from slow reactions; and (7) increase the robustness of numerical integration of the governing equations with species switching schemes.
There are several significant results. This model enables science to move beyond past piecemeal approaches and creates an integrated approach needed to facilitate the evolution to a more comprehensive assessment tool. This model is based on “first principle” and is sufficiently complex in the description of the processes that the model becomes virtual realities. The numerical software will provide exposure concentrations from multiple stressors at multiple scales, aiding in selecting indicators and design of a monitoring network and provides a physics-based tool for watershed assessment. This model provides a mechanistic-based total maximum daily load (TMDL) input for lakes/reservoirs and tidal water bodies. The model is designed to include thermal and salinity transport so that it can be applied to a larger class of watersheds such as wetland watersheds along coastal areas, like the National Everglades Watershed.
The computer code, WASH123D/pWASH123D, has been chosen by the U. S. Army Corps as the core computational code to model two watersheds: Lower East Coast Wetland Watershed and CN111 Watershed in South Florida. The code has been interfaced with Groundwater Modeling Systems by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). It also has been parallelized computationally by the USACE.
The WASH123D/pWASH123D model is expected to be applied to ecological problems that have a need to couple both hydrology and water quality measurements in a variety of different spatial scales and along coastal areas. It is currently being applied to construct a Regional Engineering Model for Ecosystem Restoration (REMER) in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program (CERP) in South Florida. The REMER model covers the eastern one-half of Florida south of Lake Okeechobee. The modeling domain includes approximately 25,000 km2. WASH123D/pWASH123D is cutting edge and coupled with appropriate computational technology; it can be applied to most of the projects being conducted in the $8 billion CERP. It also may be applied to many areas of the nation.
Future Activities:
There were no future activities reported by the investigators.
Journal Articles on this Report : 3 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 51 publications | 12 publications in selected types | All 7 journal articles |
|---|
| Type | Citation | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Li M-H, Cheng H-P, Yeh G-T. An adaptive multigrid approach for the simulation of contaminant transport in the 3D subsurface. Computers & Geosciences 2005;31(8):1028-1041. |
R827956 (2004) |
Exit Exit Exit |
|
|
Suk H, Yeh G-T. 3D, three-phase flow simulations using the Lagrangian-Eulerian approach with adaptively zooming and peak/valley capturing scheme. Journal of Hydrologic Engineering 2007;12(1):14-32. |
R827956 (2004) |
Exit |
|
|
Wang H, Yeh G-T. A characteristic-based semi Lagrangian method for hyperbolic systems for conservation laws. Chinese Journal of Atmospheric Sciences 2005;29(1):21-42. |
R827956 (2004) R827956 (Final) |
Exit |
Supplemental Keywords:
watersheds, groundwater, land, soil, sediments, adsorption, absorption, chemical transport, exposure, chemicals, particulates, metals, heavy metals, solvents, oxidants, nitrogen oxides, sulfates, organics, effluent, discharge, dissolved solids, ecosystem, restoration, scaling, terrestrial, aquatic, integrated assessment, oxidation, restoration, environmental chemistry, biology, physics, engineering, ecology, hydrology, geology, mathematics, modeling,, RFA, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Scientific Discipline, Water, Waste, Toxics, Mathematics, Ecological Indicators, Fate & Transport, pesticides, Ecosystem Protection, Chemistry, Ecology, Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, computing technology, Contaminated Sediments, Hydrology, Nutrients, Wet Weather Flows, tidal water bodies, ecosystem evaluation, microbial pollution, tidal influence, numerical model, computer simulation model, watershed modeling, contaminated sediment, water quality, industrial chemicals, subsurface media, aquatic ecosystem, high performance computing, streams, mechanistic-based watershed modeling, fate and transport, sediment transport, hydrological stability, ecological exposure, lake ecosystems, sediment, component-based software, bioindicators, numerical models, metals, information technology, mechanistic based watershed modeling, nutrient transport, watershed, computer science, ecosystem modelingRelevant Websites:
hhttp://cece.ucf.edu/people/yeh/ Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.