ARS | Publication request: Cheney Lake CEAP Project Validation/Calibration: Streamflow

Submitted to: Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: June 24, 2010
Publication Date: June 27, 2010
Citation: Theurer, F.D., Bingner, R.L., Frees, L.D., French, L. 2010. Cheney Lake CEAP Project Validation/Calibration: Streamflow. In: Proceedings of the 2010 Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference. June 27-July 1, Las Vegas, Nevada. 2010 CDROM.

Interpretive Summary: AnnAGNPS was used to analyze some of the projects funded in the Cheney Lake Special Emphasis Watershed in Kansas as part of the Conservation Evaluation Assessment Program (CEAP). One of the major findings of this project was the significance of ephemeral gully erosion as a sediment source in agricultural watersheds. In order to ensure confidence in these findings, a sequence of calibrations, in stages, for the water runoff and pollutant loads were done in a fixed order. This paper describes the streamflow calibration stage used to calibrate the runoff, why certain steps were necessary, the results, and insights as to what led to the results & what can or should be done to improve the results. Sources of error in calibration occur in developing input parameters and collecting measured pollutant loads. After these errors are identified, sources of error produced from simulation results can be determined and the algorithms used by models can be corrected, improved or enhanced. This information is critical when using watershed models to evaluate the impact of conservation practices on pollutant loadings.

Technical Abstract: AnnAGNPS was used to analyze some of the projects funded in the Special Emphasis Watershed during the Conservation Evaluation Assessment Program (CEAP). Its major finding was the significance of ephemeral gully erosion. In order to ensure confidence in its findings, a sequence of calibration, in stages, for the water runoff and pollutant loads was done in a fixed order. This paper describes the streamflow calibration stage used to calibrate the runoff, why certain steps were necessary, the results, and insights as to what led to the results & what can or should be done to improve the results.