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A coupled hydrodynamic (HEC-RAS 2D) and water quality model (WASP) for simulating flood-induced soil, sediment, and contaminant transport
Citation:
Shabani, A., S. Woznicki, M. Mehaffey, J. Butcher, T. Wool, AND P. Whung. A coupled hydrodynamic (HEC-RAS 2D) and water quality model (WASP) for simulating flood-induced soil, sediment, and contaminant transport. Journal of Flood Risk Management. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, 14(4):e12747, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12747
Impact/Purpose:
Floods are one of the most common natural disasters, causing significant loss of life and property in the United States. We coupled the Hydrologic Engineering Center-River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) 2D and the Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP) to simulate flood-induced sediment and contaminant transport at contaminated sites. The Published External Coupler for HEC-RAS and WASP 2D can be used by 2000 WASP subscribers, Regions, States and other scientists to conduct research in flood-induced sediment transport.
Description:
Increased intensity and frequency of floods raise concerns about the release and transport of contaminated soil and sediment to and from rivers and streams. To model these processes during flooding events, we developed an External Coupler in Python to link the Hydrologic Engineering Center-River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) 2D hydrodynamic model to the Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP). Accurate data transfer from a hydrodynamic model to a water quality model is critical. Our test results showed the External Coupler successfully linked HEC-RAS and WASP and addressed technical challenges in aggregating flow data and conserving mass during the flood event. We ran the coupled models for a 100-year flood event to calculate flood-induced transport of sediment-associated arsenic in Woodbridge Creek, NJ. Change in surface sediment and arsenic at the end of 48-h flood simulation ranged from a net loss of 13.5 cm to a net gain of 11.6 cm, and 16.2 to 2.9 mg/kg, respectively, per model segment, which demonstrates the capability of the coupled model for simulating sediment and contaminant transport in flood.
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DOI: A coupled hydrodynamic (HEC-RAS 2D) and water quality model (WASP) for simulating flood-induced soil, sediment, and contaminant transport