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Introduction to WMOST v3 and Multi-Objective Optimization
Citation:
Detenbeck, N. AND A. Piscopo. Introduction to WMOST v3 and Multi-Objective Optimization. US EPA Water Quality Modeling Webinar Series, Narragansett (externalwebinar), RI, March 08, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
EPA’s Water Modeling Workgroup is hosting a series of webinars to help water quality professionals better understand surface water quality modeling and how models can be used to solve common problems that face water quality regulators. The webinars are focused on modeling as it applies to the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), Standards, and Water Quality Permitting Programs, but they are applicable to a wide range of audiences. These two hour webinars cover everything from modeling basics (e.g., model setup and calibration) to applied water quality modeling of different pollutants. Webinars are recorded and archived on EPA’s website at http://www.epa.gov/tmdl/tmdl-modeling.
Description:
Version 3 of EPA’s Watershed Management Optimization Support Tool (WMOST) will be released in early 2018 (https://www.epa.gov/exposure-assessment-models/wmost). WMOST is designed to facilitate integrated water management among communities, utilities, watershed organizations, consultants, and others. WMOST identifies the most cost-effective suite of management practices to meet user-designated water quantity and/or water quality goals at the HUC12 – HUC10 watershed scale, looking across potential solutions in drinking water, wastewater, stormwater (gray and green infrastructure) and land conservation programs. Goals can include maintaining baseflow or storage for drinking water and aquatic life use, minimizing peak flows and estimated flooding damage, reducing incidence of CSO events, meeting water quality criteria or pollutant load targets for TMDLs. WMOST reads in baseline hydrology (runoff, recharge) and pollutant (N, P, TSS, Zn) load time series for hydrologic response units from common watershed models (e.g., HSPF, SWAT), then calculates managed time series for different best management practices of interest to the user through linkage with EPA’s SUSTAIN tool. Optimization files are created for import to NEOS, an online server with optimization packages. Optimization output from NEOS is imported back to WMOST and summarized in graphs and tables listing the optimal types of various management practices, as well as their implementation levels and costs. Additional tools are being developed to apply WMOST as part of a robust decision-making process, including a complementary version of WMOST that uses a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm to generate numerous management solutions simultaneously. These solutions reflect the tradeoffs between objectives, which represents useful information for decision-makers. The webcast will provide background on both versions of the tool, demonstrate data import and different component modules, illustrate tool outputs and provide examples from ongoing case studies.