Development and Validation of Reservoir and Riverine Water Quality Models

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The transport of nutrients from watersheds to aquatic resources (streams and rivers, lakes and reservoirs, and coastal zones) directly influences their environmental quality and ecosystem. While this is a natural process, excessive inputs from anthropogenic sources (e.g., intensive agriculture) can exceed the assimilative capacity and resilience of aquatic ecosystems. The result is accelerated rates of eutrophication and destabilized ecological communities susceptible to the establishment of invasive species or to changes in food web structure, loss of valuable habitat, threats to human health, and reduced economic and societal benefits. Brief Description of Anticipated Work: To evaluate the impacts of excessive eutrophication and to develop alternatives to mitigate these impacts, ERDC is developing multi-dimensional reservoir and riverine modeling systems that link reservoir hydrodynamics and operations, riverine hydraulics, and water quality kinetics. This includes basic and applied research to advance the state of the art of the CE-QUAL-W2 water quality model (water quality algorithms, reservoir operations, and data input/output) and ERDC water quality modules (the Nutrient, Temperature, Contaminant, and Mercury Simulation Modules (NSM, TSM, CSM, MSM)). In addition to model development, ERDC is continuing to support the Columbia River Systems Operation (CRSO) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Columbia River Treaty (CRT) study. Both projects are evaluating and comparing a range of water management alternatives. These studies will identify measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts associated with the system operations and configuration, where feasible. The level of analyses to compare trade-offs and mitigation requires development and assessment of models and methods for effects on resources, such as water quality (temperature, nutrients, and Total Dissolved Gas (TDG)), fish, and flood risk, hydropower, irrigation, and navigation. Mitigation measures accompanying each alternative will also be evaluated for effectiveness, impacts, and environmental compliance coverage.

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