ARS | Publication request: THE AGWA – KINEROS2 SUITE OF MODELING TOOLS

Submitted to: American Society of Civil Engineers Water Resources Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: August 1, 2010
Publication Date: December 1, 2010
Citation: Goodrich, D.C., Unkrich, C.L., Smith, R.E., Guertin, D.P., Hernandez, M., Burns, I.S., Massart, J., Levick, L., Miller, S.N., Semmens, D., Kepner, W. 2010. THE AGWA – KINEROS2 SUITE OF MODELING TOOLS. Proc. Amer. Soc. Of Civil Eng. 2010 Watershed Management Conference, Madison, WI, Aug. 23-27, 2010. Modeling, pp. 1294-1305.

Interpretive Summary: When water quantity or water quality is of interest, watersheds are a natural organizing unit in our landscape. The pathways and processes that affect runoff generation from a watershed result from a complex interaction of the climate, topography, soils, land cover, and land use. Numerous computer models have been developed to estimate how a watershed produces runoff from rainfall and snowfall. The KINEROS2 and SWAT models are two common examples. These models often require significant data preparation and input to use them. To expedite this task we have developed the AGWA (Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment hydrologic modeling tool which uses nationally available spatial data sets to setup, run, and display the results from KINEROS2 and SWAT. With these tools, natural resource managers, engineers, and scientists can estimate runoff and places in the watershed that may be prone to flood damage or water quality problems. These users can also evaluate how conservation measures and changes in land use practices might improve water quality. This paper provides an overview of the KINEROS2 and AGWA tools with selected examples of its application for a variety of uses and in the larger context, discusses how these tools are components of a more general watershed management framework, which embodies decision tools, scenario development and both market and non-market valuation of watershed services.

Technical Abstract: A suite of modeling tools ranging from the event-based KINEROS2 flash-flood forecasting tool to the continuous (K2-O2) KINEROS-OPUS biogeochemistry tool. The KINEROS2 flash flood forecasting tool is being tested with the National Weather Service (NEW) is described. Tne NWS version assimilates Digital Hybrid Reflectivity (DHR) radar product in near-real time and can simultaneously run ensembles using multiple radar-reflectivity relationships. In addition to simulation of runoff and sediment transport, K2-O2 can simulate management, plant growth, nutrient cycling (nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon), water quality and chemical runoff. To expedite the set-up, initial parameterization, execution, and visualization of KINEROS simulations the Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment (AGWA) tool was developed. This ArcGIS based tool uses commonly available GIS data layers to perform these tasks for both the SWAT and KINEROS models. A variety of new capabilities have been added to AGWA to configure KINEROS inputs to simulate a number of land-management practices or changes (fire, urbanization, BMPs). In the larger context these tools are components of a watershed management framework, which embodies decision tools, scenario development and both market and non-market valuation of watershed services.