Retrospective Comparison of Watershed Analysis Risk Management Framework and Hydrologic Simulation Program Fortran Applications to Mica Creek Watershed
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 131, Issue 9
Abstract
As part of an ongoing watershed model comparison program for forested watersheds, Watershed Analysis Risk Management Framework (WARMF V5.18) and Hydrologic Simulation Program Fortran (HSPF V10) were independently applied to the Mica Creek Watershed in Idaho. A comprehensive model comparison was made in terms of watershed delineation, hydrologic formulations, model parameterization, meteorological data, hydrologic calibration, and hydrologic verification. Comparison was not made for water quality, which was not simulated in the HSPF application. It was concluded that WARMF is a mechanistic model structured to simulate the hydrologic processes, whereas HSPF is an empirical water budget model. The WARMF is suitable for application to forested watersheds. It successfully predicted stream flows comparable to measured values. The HSPF results were also good, if one ignores an unrealistic amount of water loss to inactive groundwater and an empirical treatment of rain-on-snow events.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The contribution of Potlatch Corporation in establishing the Mica Creek Experimental Watershed and in furnishing their data to the study is gratefully acknowledged. The Electrical Power Research Institute provided support for the WARMF application. The National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc. provided funding for the application of HSPF.
References
Bicknell, B. R., Imhoff, J. C., Kittle, J. L., Jr., Donigian, A. S., Jr., and Johanson, R. C. (1993). “Hydrological simulation program—FORTRAN user’s manual for release 10.” EPA/600/R-93/174, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Research Laboratory, Athens, Ga.
Carollo Engineers, Aqua Terra Consultants, and Systech Engineering, Inc. (2002). “Steamboat Creek Watershed non point source model comparison report.” Final Rep. to Reno, Sparks, and Washoe Counties, Carollo Engineers, Walnut Creek, Calif.
Chen, C. W. (2003). “Discussion on ‘Methodologies for calibration and predictive analysis of a watershed model’ by John Doherty and John M. Johnston.” J. Am. Water Resour. Assoc., 39(6), 1561–1562.
Chen, C. W., Dean, J. D., Gherini, S. A., and Goldstein, R. A. (1982). “Acid rain model—Hydrologic module.” J. Environ. Eng. Div. (Am. Soc. Civ. Eng.), 108(3), 455–472.
Chen, C. W., and Herr, J. (2002). “Comparison of BASINS and WARMF models: Mica Creek Watershed.” Technical Rep. No. 1005344, Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, Calif.
Chen, C. W., Herr, J., and Weintraub, L. (2000). “Watershed analysis risk management framework (WARMF)—User’s guide: Documentation of graphical user interface.” Technical Rep. No. 1000729, Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, Calif.
Chen, C. W., Herr, J., and Weintraub, L. (2001a). “Watershed analysis risk management framework (WARMF)—Update one, A decision support system for watershed analysis and total maximum daily load calculation, allocation and implementation.” Technical Rep. No. 1005181, Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, Calif.
Chen, C. W., Weintraub, L. H. Z., Goldstein, R. A., Siegrist, R. L., and Kerkland, S. (2001b). “Framework to account for onsite wastewater systems in calculating total maximum daily load.” On-site Wastewater Treatment, Proc., 9th National Symp. on Individual and Small Community Sewage Systems, Society for Engineering in Agricultural, Food, and Biological Systems, 524–532.
Chow, V. T. (1964). Handbook of applied hydrology, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Doherty, J., and Johnson, J. M. (2003). “Methodologies for calibration and predictive analysis of a watershed model.” J. Am. Water Resour. Assoc., 39(1), 251–265.
Gherini, S. A., Mok, L., Hudson, R. J., Davis, G., Chen, C. W., and Golstein, R. A. (1985). “The ILWAS model: Formulation and application.” Water, Air, Soil Pollut., 26, 425–459.
Herr, J. W., Chen, C. W., Goldstein, R. A., and Brogdon, J. N. (2002). “A tool for sediment TMDL development for Oostanuala Creek.” Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Environmental Regulations, Proc., March 11–13, 2002 Conf., Society for Engineering in Agricultural, Food, and Biological Systems, St. Joseph, Mich., 111–116.
Lumb, A. M., McCammon, R. B., and Kittle, J. L. (1994). “User’s manual for an expert system (HSPEXP) for calibration of the Hydrological Simulation Program—FORTRAN.” Water Resources Investigation Rep. No. 94-4168, U.S. Geological Survey.
McGreer, D. J., Cundy, T. W., and Gravelle, J. A. (1995). “Mica Creek cumulative watershed effects study.” Proc., Watershed Management Planning for the 21st Century. T. J. Ward, ed., ASCE, New York, 300–309.
National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc. (NCASI). (2001). “Hydrological simulation program-Fortran (HSPF) calibration for Mica Creek, Idaho.” Special Rep. No. 01-01, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc., Research Triangle Park, N.C.
National Decentralized Water Resources Capacity Development Project (NDWRCDP). (2004). “Quantifying site-scale processes & watershed-scale cumulative effects of decentralized wastewater systems.” WUHT-02-27, Washington Univ., St. Louis, Mo., ⟨www.ndwrcdp.org⟩
Neilson, B. T., Horsburgh, J. S., Stevens, D. K., Matassa, M. R., Brogdon, J. N., and Spackman, A. (2003). “Comparison of complex watershed models’ predictive capabilities: EPRI’s watershed analysis risk management framework (WARMF) vs. USEPA’s better assessment science integrating point and nonpoint sources (BASINS/WinHSPF).” Final Rep. Prepared for Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah State Univ., Logan, Utah.
Neitsch, S. L., Arnold, J. G., Kiniry, J. R., and Williams, J. R. (2001). “Soil and water assessment tool theoretical documentation. Version 2000.” BASINS 3.0, EPA-823-C-01-003, USEPA, Office of Water and Office of Science and Technology, Washington, D.C.
Schultz, R. (2000). “Land use history: Mica Creek—A tributary of the St. Joe River.” Rep. on File with Potlatch Corporation, Lewiston, Id.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (1956). “Snow hydrology.” Summary Rep. of the Snow Investigations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, North Pacific Division, Portland, Ore.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (1960). “Runoff from snowmelt.” Engineering and design manual EM110-2-1406, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland, Ore.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). (2001). “Better assessment science integrating point and nonpoint sources BASINS 3.0, User’s Mannual.” EPA-823B-01-001, Office of Water, Washington, D.C.
Weintraub, L., Chen, C. W., Tsai, W., Herr, J., Goldstein, R. A., and Siegrist, R. (2002). “Modifications of WARMF to assess the efficacy of onsite wastewater systems on public health.” Proc., WEFTEC 2002 Conf., Chicago.
Whitaker, A. C., Alila, Y., Calvert, P., and Toews, D. (1998). “Evaluation of existing hydrological models for use in assessing the impact of forest management on peak flows.” Mountains to the sea: Human interaction with the hydrologic cycle: Proc., Canadian Water Resources Association, 51st Annual Conf., Y. Alila, ed., Victoria, B.C., 67–71.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 131 • Issue 9 • September 2005
Pages: 1277 - 1284
Copyright
© 2005 ASCE.
History
Received: Jul 1, 2003
Accepted: Jan 6, 2005
Published online: Sep 1, 2005
Published in print: Sep 2005
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.