Final BMP Modeling Workshop September 29, 2011 UB Geography Department Sponsored by the Buffalo District of the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Workshop Outline Intro to Baseline Models & Case Studies Overview of BMPs by Scale Large-Scale Watershed Models (ArcSWAT) Break Small –Scale Hillslope BMPs (WEPP) Lunch

Workshop Outline Medium-Scale Watershed BMPs (GeoWEPP) Break Modeling Flood Levels & BMPs (HEC-GeoRAS) Break Instructor Assisted Self-Paced Exercises Wrap-up & Closing Comments

Workshop Outline Intro to Baseline Models & Case Studies Overview of BMPs by Scale Large-Scale Watershed Models (ArcSWAT) Break Small –Scale Hillslope BMPs (WEPP) Lunch

What Have We Done? Engaged with Stakeholders Acquired / modified / refined / verified required data – DEM, soils, landuse, cross section profiles Developed verifiable baseline models (Catt Creek and Clear Creek) Conducted field trips and workshops for two-way knowledge transfer Delineated watershed and stream networks to maximize sub-basins < 5 sq km Chose BMPs to simulate Chose modeling software to match basin size and BMPs to simulate Selected sub-basins to model Tested modeling software inputs or parameters to simulate BMPs Evaluated model results Baseline Models & Case Studies

What’s Next To Do? Conduct BMP Modeling Training Workshop (today) Continue to engage with Stakeholders Acquire / modify / refine / verify required data – DEM, soils, landuse, cross section profiles Continue two-way knowledge transfer Incorporate lessons learned in classroom setting Develop and deliver a final written report Baseline Models & Case Studies

What Else Have We Done? Refined the Erie County LiDAR data to recalculate bank erosion volumes compared to IPLER/RIT LiDAR. Baseline Models & Case Studies

What Else Have We Done? Baseline Models & Case Studies Black = Strong Returns White = No Returns

What Else Have We Done? Baseline Models & Case Studies Red = Erosion Yellow = Neutral Green = Deposition

Workshop Outline Intro to Baseline Models & Case Studies Overview of BMPs by Scale Large-Scale Watershed Models (ArcSWAT) Break Small –Scale Hillslope BMPs (WEPP) Lunch

10,000 yrs 1,000 yrs 1 yr 1 mon 1 day 1 hr 1 min Log time years Log space km 10,000 km km 2 1 km 2 1 ha 100 m 2 1 cm water shed 1 dm 2 micro plot hill- slope sub- shed basin Weather / Climate VegetationManagement Unit Soil / Lithology Erosion ProcessTopographic Scale 1 m yrs 10 yrs 1MM km 2 globe sec Natural Variability & Role of Scale splash wood stand canopy buffer grass front thunder storm breeze long waves El Niño interrill rill gully fluvial infiltration / moisturestructure texture depth tillage ridge horticulture orchard forest landscape evolution catena crop climate change

BMPs by Scale John Whitney’s most important agricultural BMPs on WNY farms: Crop Rotation Conservation Tillage Nutrient Management Pest Management Buffers Other supporting practices include: Cover Crops (often part of the Conservation Tillage/Residue Management package) but also important for organic matter improvements Waste Management Contour Farming Strip Cropping BMPs by Scale

Cover Crop Rotation Patterns BMPs by Scale

Cover Crop Options BMPs by Scale

Scale Dependent Model Simulations Models can only “see”/represent features larger than the basemap grid cell size Historic DEM cell sizes range from 90 m to 10 m, but most current USGS DEM areas are 30 m or 10 m grid cell sizes Models often aggregate landuse, soil, slope for the entire sub-basin to the DEM grid spatial reference and resolution BMPs which involve small changes like riparian grass buffers can be modeled without a spatial reference 1.WEPP models hillslopes (representative and real) 2.GeoWEPP models small sub-basins (< 5 km 2 ) 3.ArcSWAT models for larger watershed (> 5 km 2 ) 4.HEC-GeoRAS models single channels and overbank area Model Scale Dependencies

WEPP Hillslope Interface Model Scale Dependencies

Watershed vs. Flowpath Method Watershed – aka offsite assessment – Measures sediment yield at the outlet point – Less memory intensive – Take less time – Identifies problem hillslopes – Uses Dominant Soil and Dominant Landuse Flowpath – aka onsite assessment – Measures soil loss at each raster cell – Memory hog – Can take some time – Identifies problem areas within a hillslope – Uses Soil and Landuse of each cell Model Scale Dependencies

Method Comparison WatershedFlowpath Model Scale Dependencies

Watershed vs. Flowpath Methods Watershed Flowpath Model Scale Dependencies

Short-term & Long-Term Processes Short-term: – Single storm events which demonstrate watershed responses to baseline conditions coupled with localized weather patterns – 5-year window (event year plus 2 yrs before and after) Long-term: – Statistically defined weather conditions based on historic patterns which operate over much longer periods – year window (models daily/hourly averages over time) – Allows return periods to be computed (100-yr, 500-yr, 1000-yr storms and floods).

Workshop Outline Intro to Baseline Models & Case Studies Overview of BMPs by Scale Large-Scale Watershed Models (ArcSWAT) Break Small –Scale Hillslope BMPs (WEPP) Lunch

Workshop Outline Intro to Baseline Models & Case Studies Overview of BMPs by Scale Large-Scale Watershed Models (ArcSWAT) Break Small –Scale Hillslope BMPs (WEPP) Lunch

Workshop Outline Intro to Baseline Models & Case Studies Overview of BMPs by Scale Large-Scale Watershed Models (ArcSWAT) Break Small –Scale Hillslope BMPs (WEPP) Lunch

Workshop Outline Intro to Baseline Models & Case Studies Overview of BMPs by Scale Large-Scale Watershed Models (ArcSWAT) Break Small –Scale Hillslope BMPs (WEPP) Lunch

Workshop Outline Medium-Scale Watershed BMPs (GeoWEPP) Break Modeling Flood Levels & BMPs (HEC-GeoRAS) Break Instructor Assisted Self-Paced Exercises Wrap-up & Closing Comments

Workshop Outline Medium-Scale Watershed BMPs (GeoWEPP) Break Modeling Flood Levels & BMPs (HEC-GeoRAS) Break Instructor Assisted Self-Paced Exercises Wrap-up & Closing Comments

Workshop Outline Medium-Scale Watershed BMPs (GeoWEPP) Break Modeling Flood Levels & BMPs (HEC-GeoRAS) Break Instructor Assisted Self-Paced Exercises Wrap-up & Closing Comments

Workshop Outline Medium-Scale Watershed BMPs (GeoWEPP) Break Modeling Flood Levels & BMPs (HEC-GeoRAS) Break Instructor Assisted Self-Paced Exercises Wrap-up & Closing Comments

Workshop Outline Medium-Scale Watershed BMPs (GeoWEPP) Break Modeling Flood Levels & BMPs (HEC-GeoRAS) Break Instructor Assisted Self-Paced Exercises Wrap-up & Closing Comments

Workshop Outline Medium-Scale Watershed BMPs (GeoWEPP) Break Modeling Flood Levels & BMPs (HEC-GeoRAS) Break Instructor Assisted Self-Paced Exercises Wrap-up & Closing Comments

What Have We Done? Engaged with Stakeholders Acquired / modified / refined / verified required data – DEM, soils, landuse, cross section profiles Developed verifiable baseline models (Catt Creek and Clear Creek) Conducted field trips and workshops for two-way knowledge transfer Delineated watershed and stream networks to maximize sub-basins < 5 sq km Chose BMPs to simulate Chose modeling software to match basin size and BMPs to simulate Selected sub-basins to model Tested modeling software inputs or parameters to simulate BMPs Evaluated model results Wrap-up & Closing Remarks

What’s Next To Do? Conduct BMP Modeling Training Workshop (today) Continue to engage with Stakeholders Acquire / modify / refine / verify required data – DEM, soils, landuse, cross section profiles Continue two-way knowledge transfer Incorporate lessons learned in classroom setting Develop and deliver a final written report Wrap-up & Closing Remarks