linking watersheds and streams through functional modeling of watershed processes

Linking watersheds and Linking watersheds and streams through functional streams through functional

modeling of watershed modeling of watershed processesprocesses

David Theobald, Silvio David Theobald, Silvio Ferraz, Erin Poston, Ferraz, Erin Poston, and Jeff Deemsand Jeff Deems

Natural Resource Ecology LabNatural Resource Ecology LabDept of Recreation & TourismDept of Recreation & TourismColorado State UniversityColorado State UniversityFort Collins, CO 80523 USAFort Collins, CO 80523 USA

19 May 200419 May 2004

Watershed - StreamWatershed - Stream

Stand-alone Stand-alone watershedwatershed

Watershed HUCs/WBD Reach Contributing Areas (RCAs)

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Watershed-based Watershed-based analyses (HUCs)analyses (HUCs)

Tesselation of Tesselation of true, adjoint true, adjoint catchments catchments


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““Watershed”-based Watershed”-based analysesanalyses % agricultural, % urban (e.g., ATtILA)% agricultural, % urban (e.g., ATtILA)

Average road density (Bolstad and Swank)Average road density (Bolstad and Swank) Dam density (Moyle and Randall 1998)Dam density (Moyle and Randall 1998) Road length w/in riparian zone (Arya 1999)Road length w/in riparian zone (Arya 1999) But ~45% of HUCs are not watershedsBut ~45% of HUCs are not watersheds

EPA. 1997. An ecological assessment of the US Mid-Atlantic Region: A landscape atlas.

Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project. 2000.


Overlapping Overlapping watershedswatersheds- Delineate - Delineate watershed from watershed from outletoutlet




??


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River continuum concept (Vannote et al. 1980)


Overlapping Overlapping watershedswatersheds

Tesselation – Tesselation – catchments catchments accumulate accumulate downstreamdownstream




??


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Upper and lower Colorado Basin

Flows to downstream HUCs



Accumulate Accumulate downstreamdownstream

FLOWS FLOWS

(and (and SPARROW)SPARROW)




??


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Reach Contributing Areas Reach Contributing Areas (RCAs)(RCAs)

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 or 90 m)NED, 30 m or 90 m)

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

area away from reach area away from reach segment until ridgelinesegment until ridgeline

Uses WATERSHED Uses WATERSHED commandcommand

“true” catchments

“adjoint”catchments

Reaches(segments)

RCA exampleRCA example

US ERF1.2 & 1 km DEM: 60,833 US ERF1.2 & 1 km DEM: 60,833 RCAsRCAs

Reaches are linked to Reaches 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


Hydrologic Hydrologic distance:distance:-InstreamInstream-Up vs. Up vs. down?down?



FLOWS (and FLOWS (and SPARROW)SPARROW)




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Types of DistanceTypes of Distance

As the crow fliesAs the crow flies As the seed floats As the seed floats

(A(AB)B) As the fish swims As the fish swims

(C(CD)D) Upstream length (B Upstream length (B

up)up) Network (dams, Network (dams,

fragmentation)fragmentation)

Upstream66 km

Downstream298 km

MainstemUpstream37 km

Network16 km (down)6 km (up)


Hydrologic Hydrologic distance:distance:-InstreamInstream-Up vs. Up vs. down?down?

FLOWSFLOWS



FLOWS (and FLOWS (and SPARROW)SPARROW)




??


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RCAs are linked togetherRCAs are linked together – but spatial configuration – but spatial configuration

within an RCA?within an RCA?

1. Ignore variability 2. Buffer streams 3. Buffer outlet

A

C

B

A'

B'

C' Legend

#0 outlet

nhd_rivers

catch

_̂ Points

Distances

AA'

BB'

CC'

0 1 20.5Miles

2 major hydro. processes 2 major hydro. processes w/in RCAw/in RCA

1. Overland (hillslope): Distance (A to A’)1. Overland (hillslope): Distance (A to A’)

2. Instream flow: Distance (A’ to O)2. Instream flow: Distance (A’ to O)

Flow distance: overland + Flow distance: overland + instreaminstream

Hydro-conditioned Hydro-conditioned DEM (e.g., EDNA)DEM (e.g., EDNA)

FLOWDIRECTIONFLOWDIRECTION FLOWLENGTHFLOWLENGTH

Flow distance: overlandFlow distance: overland


Burn stream into Burn stream into FLOWDIRECTIONFLOWDIRECTION

FLOWLENGTHFLOWLENGTH

Flow distance: instreamFlow distance: instream


FLOWDIRECTIONFLOWDIRECTION FLOWLENGTH FLOWLENGTH

from outline – from outline – overland overland FLOWLENGTHFLOWLENGTH

SummarySummary RCAs networked together + w/in RCA distancesRCAs networked together + w/in RCA distances Practical framework for flexible, functional-based Practical framework for flexible, functional-based

applicationsapplicationsPlansPlans Use cost-weighting for w/in RCA distancesUse cost-weighting for w/in RCA distances FLOWS tools: Fall 2004FLOWS tools: Fall 2004

WatershedWatershed

• True watersheds True watersheds (HCAs)(HCAs)• By attributeBy attribute•By outlet pointBy outlet point

•By closest contributionBy closest contribution• AreaArea• %%• DischargeDischarge

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

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

STARMAP: STARMAP: www.stat.colostate.edu/~nsu/stawww.stat.colostate.edu/~nsu/starmaprmap

RWTools: email [email protected]: email [email protected]

CR - 829095

linking watersheds and streams through functional modeling of watershed processes

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