Grantee Research Project Results
2006 Progress Report: Interfacing SWAT and PHABSIM: A Potential GIS-based Water Resource Management Tool
EPA Grant Number: X832302C006Subproject: this is subproject number 006 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant X832302
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Water Innovation Network for Sustainable Small Systems
Center Director: Reckhow, David A.
Title: Interfacing SWAT and PHABSIM: A Potential GIS-based Water Resource Management Tool
Investigators: Dixon, Barnali , Casper, Andy , Gore, James
Institution: University of South Florida
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: September 1, 2005 through August 31, 2008
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2005 through August 31, 2006
RFA: Targeted Research Center (2004) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , Targeted Research
Objective:
Based on investigations and research in the past 5 years, climatologists believe that multidecadal periods of warming and cooling of the North Atlantic Ocean’s surface waters ultimately affect precipitation patterns across much of the United States. Since river flows are largely rainfall dependent, variation in rainfall should result in variations in river flow to coastal areas, as well. Flow increases in the northern part of Florida and flow decreases in peninsular Florida are consistent with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and the reported relationship with rainfall. These relationships extend not only to rivers in Florida but to the entire southeastern United States, both Atlantic and Gulf coastal rivers. Although spatially explicit data layers commonly used in hydrologic models are readily available, accessibility of meteorological data with adequate spatial and temporal coverage remains a challenge. The ability to predict streamflow accurately with a model, for example, can be strongly impacted by the input data. The goal of this study is to determine sensitivity of the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model to the use of measured, local versus simulated meteorological data for a given resolution of soils, land-use (LU), and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) required by the model.
Progress Summary:
Data were collected for the Alafia River watershed in the Tampa Bay Estuary in West Central Florida. The soil input layers were analyzed at two different resolutions; viz. 30 m (obtained from Soil Survey Geographic Database - SSURGO) and 250 m (obtained from the State Soil Survey Database - STATSGO). Land-use data photo-interpreted from 1:12,000 (3 m) color-infrared digital ortho-quarter quadrangles (DOQQs) were obtained from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). A DEM was obtained from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) at 30 m resolution. This study was performed at 30 m and 240/250 m resolution (LU and DEMs were re-sampled to 240 m for the model runs with STATSGO data, as close as mathematical accuracy allows). Eight rain stations (five with temperature and rain) for local meteorological data were used in the “real” model runs (for wet – 1994-1996 and dry – 1998-2000 periods), and the simulated weather data were used for the same periods. The output variable of comparison was model flow out. We can draw the following overall conclusions: (1) the model does not appear to respond to the difference in meteorology in a significant manner; and (2) further, at least for this basin, the model does not appear to respond to the detail of the original soils layers as much as to the resolution to which it is re-sampled.
Supplemental Keywords:
water, watersheds, groundwater, land, soil, marine, estuary, chemicals, toxics, PCB, heavy metals, ecosystem, restoration, terrestrial, aquatic, habitat, innovative technology, remediation, restoration, public policy, decision making, modeling, monitoring, analytical, remote sensing, Florida, FL, EPA Region 4, social science, Florida (FL), Phosphate rock mining (SIC 1475), water, orthophosphate, total phosphorus, Tampa Bay, Bishops Harbor, Cockroach Bay, sediment, pore water.,Relevant Websites:
http://www.stpt.usf.edu/cspace/cspace.asp Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractMain Center Abstract and Reports:
X832302 Water Innovation Network for Sustainable Small Systems Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
X832302C001 Past and Present Water Quality in Florida Coastal Waters
X832302C002 Cyanobacteria Proliferation and Eutrophication in Florida Lakes
X832302C003 Reactive Metal Particle Emulsions for Removal of PCBs
X832302C004 The Social and Environmental Dimensions of Xeriscaping: A Pathway for Ameliorating Coastal Environments
X832302C005 An Historical Perspective on the Economic and Environmental Impacts of the Phosphate Industry on the Tampa Bay Region
X832302C006 Interfacing SWAT and PHABSIM: A Potential GIS-based Water Resource Management Tool
X832302C007 Acquisition of Counters for Gamma-Emitting Radioisotopes
X832302C008 Guided Surface Vehicles
X832302C009 Science Journalism
X832302C010 Administration and Outreach
The 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.