Application of a water/ecosystem model, VELMA, to inform environmental management decision-making in the watersheds of Keene and Kingsbury Creeks
Citation:
Moffett, M., T. Hollenhorst, T. Jicha, AND J. Hoffman. Application of a water/ecosystem model, VELMA, to inform environmental management decision-making in the watersheds of Keene and Kingsbury Creeks. 8th Annual St. Louis River Summit, Superior, WI, March 13 - 14, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
We demonstrate how we are testing an EPA model called VELMA (Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management Assessments) using mostly available data within the St. Louis River estuary landscape. VELMA was developed to visually show changes over time and interactions of processes between the land and the water within small watersheds (<50 km2), but can also be used on landscapes at a more regional scale (1-10k km2). VELMA can help environmental managers understand past, present and future watershed responses to different landscape scenarios or to restoration and remediation projects including green infrastructure installations. We are looking in the near future to enable VELMA to link ecological and physical processes that occur within a landscape to desirable ecosystem services and impacts on human well-being.
Description:
VELMA (Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management Assessments) is an eco-hydrological model that produces visual simulations of many hydrologic and ecological processes over time periods from hours to days to years. The purpose thus far has been used for predicting effectiveness of green infrastructure, restoration, and remediation efforts on water quality. We are developing a demonstration of the use of VELMA for the watersheds of Keene and Kingsbury Creeks that flow directly into the St. Louis River estuary. We will contrast to the Tallmadge River watershed, a largely undeveloped nearby north shore watershed. The hydrology modeling begins with basic elevation data to develop flow directions for surface water and delineates watersheds from any point. Data that influences hydrology for the area of interest are inputs so that the model can produce streamflow, discharge and other hydrologic characteristics. The ecological processes that are important within a watershed are also built into the model. Currently the model transfers of N (nitrogen) and C (carbon) between plants and soils and calculates parameters such as runoff of the land to the water, C sequestration/storage, and N loading to streams. In 2017 we began to collect continuous in-stream hydrology and temperature data and will continue through 2018 with more hydrologic and physical measurements, add stream chemistry, and source water identification for model calibration. Environmental management practices can be incorporated into VELMA as needed for alternative scenario testing of, e.g., clear-cutting, tree planting, grazing, storm-water controls, or impervious surface changes. We are looking to include other collaborators to find additional data input (historical or current), to learn about environmental activities (positive and negative), and to identify local management needs within these and other areas of the St. Louis River estuarine watershed, including the entire St. Louis River watershed. We are hopeful of heading towards having VELMA link to an ecosystem services module for impacts on fish and wildlife habitat, recreation, and flood-control and also producing scenarios that show effects on human well-being.