Functional Functional linkage of linkage of

watersheds and watersheds and streams: streams:

ArcGIS FLoWS ArcGIS FLoWS toolstoolsDavid Theobald, John Norman, David Theobald, John Norman,

Erin Poston, Silvio FerrazErin Poston, Silvio FerrazNatural Resource Ecology Lab, Dept of Natural Resource Ecology Lab, Dept of

Recreation & Tourism, Colorado State Recreation & Tourism, Colorado State UniversityUniversity

Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA 26 July 26 July 20052005

Project contextProject context

Challenges of STARMAP (EPA STAR):Challenges of STARMAP (EPA STAR): Addressing science needs Clean Water ActAddressing science needs Clean Water Act Integrate science with states/tribes needsIntegrate science with states/tribes needs

Assisting statisticians to test tenable Assisting statisticians to test tenable hypotheses generated using hypotheses generated using understanding of ecological processesunderstanding of ecological processes

Goal: to find measures that more closely represent our understanding of how ecological processes are operating

From From watersheds/catchments as watersheds/catchments as hierarchical, overlapping hierarchical, overlapping

regions…regions…River continuum concept (Vannote et al. 1980)

… … to network of to network of catchmentscatchments

Benda et al. BioScience 2004

SCALE: Grain

Substrate

Biotic Condition

OverhangingVegetation

Segment

River Network

Network Connectivity

Tributary Size DifferencesNetwork Geometry

Stream Network

ConnectivityFlow Direction Network Configuration

Drainage DensityConfluence Density

Cross Sectional AreaChannel Slope, Bed MaterialsLarge Woody Debris

Biotic Condition, Substrate Type, Overlapping VegetationDetritus, Macrophytes

Microhabitat

Segment Contributing Area

Riparian Vegetation Type & ConditionFloodplain / Valley Floor Width

Localized DisturbancesLand Use/ Land Cover

Landscape

ClimateAtmospheric depositionGeology

TopographySoil Type

Microhabitat

ShadingDetritus Inputs

Riparian Zone

Nested Watersheds

Land UseTopography

Vegetation TypeBasin Shape/Size

COARSE

FINE

Reach

USGSNHD,NED

FLoWS v1 tools for FLoWS v1 tools for ArcGIS v9.0…ArcGIS v9.0…

Will migrate to Will migrate to v9.1v9.1

Pre-processing segment Pre-processing segment contributing areas (SCAs)contributing areas (SCAs)

Automated delineationAutomated delineation Inputs: Inputs:

stream network (from stream network (from USGS NHD 1:100K)USGS NHD 1:100K)

topography (USGS topography (USGS NED, 30 m)NED, 30 m)

Process:Process: ““Grow” contributing Grow” contributing

area away from area away from segment until ridgelinesegment until ridgeline

Uses WATERSHED Uses WATERSHED commandcommand

“true” catchments

“adjoint”catchments

Segments

Segments are linked to Segments are linked to catchmentscatchments

1 to 1 1 to 1 relationshiprelationship

Properties of Properties of the the watershed watershed can be linked can be linked to network to network for for accumulation accumulation operation operation

Landscape networks with Landscape networks with PythonPython

Need to represent relationships between Need to represent relationships between featuresfeatures

Using graph theory, networksUsing graph theory, networks Retain tie to geometry of featuresRetain tie to geometry of features Flow relationships table (like NHD, but flow-Flow relationships table (like NHD, but flow-

sorted!)sorted!) Implementation in ArcGISImplementation in ArcGIS

Geometric Networks (ESRI – complicated, slow)Geometric Networks (ESRI – complicated, slow) Landscape Networks: Open, simple, fastLandscape Networks: Open, simple, fast

Began with VBA (1.5 years), moved to Began with VBA (1.5 years), moved to Python (2 months)Python (2 months)

SelectionsSelections

DownstreamDownstream

Example: Flow Example: Flow modificationmodification

Deynesius and Nilsson, Deynesius and Nilsson, ScienceScience (1994) – (1994) – 77% of upper 1/3 of northern 77% of upper 1/3 of northern hemisphere rivers are strongly or hemisphere rivers are strongly or moderately affectedmoderately affected- - F = regulated/total channel lengthF = regulated/total channel length- R = % of VMAD (cumulative reservoir live, - R = % of VMAD (cumulative reservoir live, gross capacity)gross capacity)

Network-based flow modificationNetwork-based flow modification1. Degree of modification to flow = cumulative 1. Degree of modification to flow = cumulative

annual flow – cum. dam max. storage:annual flow – cum. dam max. storage:Q’ = Q-SQ’ = Q-S

2. Proportion of modified to VMAD (“natural”) 2. Proportion of modified to VMAD (“natural”) flow:flow:

F = Q’/Q F = Q’/Q

Collaboration with Aquatic ecologists (Poff, Collaboration with Aquatic ecologists (Poff, Merritt)Merritt)

RCL

TCL

High

Dam “shadow”

Reservoirs

1. DEM1. DEM

2. Slope2. Slope

3. Flow dir.3. Flow dir.

4. Flow acc.4. Flow acc.

5. Hydro dist.5. Hydro dist.

Example: Example: Coho Coho

salmon salmon distancesdistances

Example: Example: Coho Coho

salmon salmon distancesdistances

Example: 2D stream in Example: 2D stream in VirginiaVirginia

Example: 2D stream in Example: 2D stream in VirginiaVirginia

Example: 2D stream in Example: 2D stream in VirginiaVirginia

Example: 2D stream in Example: 2D stream in VirginiaVirginia

Next stepsNext steps Increase range of applicationsIncrease range of applications Attach additional datasets to SCA Attach additional datasets to SCA

databasedatabase Land cover (urban, ag, “natural”)Land cover (urban, ag, “natural”) Historical, current, future housing densityHistorical, current, future housing density Indexing of National Inventory of Dams?Indexing of National Inventory of Dams?

From segments to geomorphological From segments to geomorphological reaches, gradientreaches, gradient

Project/tool website: Project/tool website: www.nrel.colostate.edu/projects/starmapwww.nrel.colostate.edu/projects/starmap

Thanks!Thanks! Comments? Questions?Comments? Questions? Funding/Disclaimer: The work reported Funding/Disclaimer: The work reported

here was developed under the STAR here was developed under the STAR Research Assistance Agreement CR-Research Assistance Agreement CR-829095 awarded by the U.S. 829095 awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to Colorado State University. This to Colorado State University. This presentation has not been formally presentation has not been formally reviewed by EPA.  The views expressed reviewed by EPA.  The views expressed here are solely those of the presenter here are solely those of the presenter and STARMAP, the Program (s)he and STARMAP, the Program (s)he represents. EPA does not endorse any represents. EPA does not endorse any products or commercial services products or commercial services mentioned in this presentation.mentioned in this presentation.

FLoWS: FLoWS: www.nrel.colostate.edu/pwww.nrel.colostate.edu/projects/starmaprojects/starmap

davet@nrel.colostate.edudavet@nrel.colostate.edu

CR - 829095