Filters

Clear Filters
Model
Mike Basin SimplyP EFDC MIKE HYDRO River FVCOM GBR Dynamic Sednet CBP-WSM (Chesapeake Bay Program Watershed Model) AGNPS WEPP-WQ NDP MIKE21 GSSHA DHSVM PCSWMM MapShed MIKE 21 FM HSPF SWAT-MODFLOW-RT3D SWAT+ WAM GLM LSPC APEX ELEMeNT-N SWMM Delft3D RGWLF AVGWLF TETIS - N Delft3D FM PDP EcoHAT DYRESM�CAEDYM SUSTAIN DLEM GPUOM-WQ QUAL2Kw WEP-N INCA SWAT - MODFLOW L-THIA MIKE SHE SWAT THMB AnnAGNPS QUAL2K MIKE11 GWLF SSHBS WASP8 InfoWorks ICM WARMF SEAWAT-MODFLOW InVEST GBNP PCLake AGNPS-VSA CE-QUAL-W2
Water Body Type
Watershed Water body
Location
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Other The Great Barrier Reef Florida
Watershed Size
Medium Small Large
Watershed Type
Urban Agricultural
Water Body Characteristics
Coastal Reservoirs Streams Oceans Rivers Estuarine Lakes
Water Body Size
Medium Small Large
Dimensions
2D 1D 3D
Simulation Type
Continuous model Event-based model
Parameters
Nitrogen Reservoir Operations TSS Phosphorus DO salinity Primary production and plankton dynamics Q algae Sediment Transport nitrogen TN TP Chla Flow velocity Temperature TDS phosphorus tidal and wave parameters wave parameters Water Levels Salinity Water levels
Time Step
Hours Monthly Annual Daily Seconds Sub-daily Minutes
Model Complexity
Medium Complex Simple
Simulation Objectives
Pollutant Transport TMDL development sustainable water resource management evaluate ecological restoration projects Simulating large scale watersheds Nutrient load assessment Storm Surge analysis Evaluate nutrient and carbon fluxes in stream networks assess the effects of urbanization simulate watersheds with variable source areas evaluate storm events evaluate combined and sanitary sewer overflows Support reservoir management decisions Algal Bloom Predictions Evaluate nitrogen loads in cold regions hydropower optimization modeling of complex domains Evaluate groundwater nutrient dynamics NPS nutrient loads evaluation evaluate water quality improvement Large-scale hydrologic modeling assess sediment and nutrient transport Screening Simulation BMP locations BMP Evaluations predict nitrogen transport and transformation within a watershed Wave-Current Interaction Water Supply Management flood and drought management Evaluate legacy Nitrogen flood risk assessment Evaluate hydrological and biogeochemical interactions in small streams evaluate green infrastructure implementation Watershed management Climate Change Studies Environmental Impact Assessments Optimizing reservoir releases to manage downstream temperature and water quality Ecosystem Assessments management of eutrophication and algal blooms Floodplain Mapping Predict the effects of natural and anthropogenic changes on water quality assess the effects of land use change Coastal and Estuarine Hydrodynamics Evaluate BMP and low impact development stormwater controls Assessment of Storm events Modeling the transport and transformation of pollutants Flood Risk Assessment Watershed management to reduce sediment and nutrient loads entering the Great Barrier Reef understanding and managing nitrogen fluxes within polder systems Extreme events evaluation assessing phosphorus loss from agricultural lands Support navigation Erosion analysis Understanding hydrological dynamics in snow-dominated regions developing TMDL BMP cost estimation understanding and managing phosphorus fluxes within polder systems Holistic Simulation Understanding contaminant transport through surface and subsurface systems Urban stormwater management and flood control Assessing nitrogen pollution in watersheds Assess erosion variability due to management practices
Data Requirements
Sediment characteristics Flow LULC Sewer networks Porosity DO DEM Wind Speed Hydraulic data Specific yield Stream network River reach characteristics Specific storage ET Bathymetric data Relative humidity Temperature Solar radiation Wind speed Wind Precipitation Soil Algae Hydraulic conductivity Geomorphic parameters N surplus Water quality
Model Availability
Open source Open source (www.ce.pdx.edu/w2) Open source (https://www.epa.gov/water-research/storm-water-management-model-swmm) Not open source
Model Limitations
Limited backwater flooding simulations Does not simulate large watersheds Structured grids Point source loads are limited to constant loading rates for the entire simulation period Field scale model GUI is not open source Limited sediment transport modeling Topography data may require preprocessing Lumped model Dependent on input data Does not allow multiple subbasins to connect to a single reach Cannot model supercritical flow Struggles with small-scale local flows Requires high resolution grids Assumes horizontal homogeneity limited to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Simplified soil P processes Poor sediment simulation Large spatial resolution Dependent on Input Data Not suitable for shallow systems Does not simulate specific agricultural and urban pollution inputs Does not simulate urban watersheds Difficulty in verifying LID component for modeling bioretention cells Does not incorporate SOD Manual calibration Accuracy decreases with higher trophic levels Hydrostatic assumption for vertical momentum equation Limited ecohydrological processes Spatial limitations of the WSM preclude edge of field scale representation of phosphorus (P) losses Assumes channel slope is equal to zero Algal processes are oversimplifed Poor interactive process between surface and subsurface water Does not consider specific algae species Simplified Mixing Processes Poor channel/river routing Limited applications in simulating chemical dynamics Extensive datasets Poor simulation of extreme events Non-commercial purposes only Simplified vertical stratification Does not simulate N Limited model flexibility for internal modifications Limited crop differentiation Grid dependency can affect accuracy Simplified Bottom seepage simulation Limitations in storm sewer pipes simulation and calibration No provision for developing TMDLs Lacks optimization procedures for reservoir operation Simplified representation of nutrient dynamics Poor groundwater simulation Does not simulate small outlets loss directly Model unstability with larger time steps Does not simulate baseflow Limited applications in the USA Poor nitrate simulation Requires high computational resources Neglects bank erosion processes CBPWSM does not model lag times Lacks the conception of subbasin Runs a fully hydrodynamic simulation High uncertainty Limited applications in urban watersheds Sensitive to specific input parameters Simplified hydraulic processes Does not simulate physical characteristics of BMPs Simulates N Only Can not be coupled with optimization algorithm Model Expertise Fixed internal structure Limited to the Great Barrier Reef Does not account for nitrate transport in the vadose zone Limited ability in addressing long-term legacy N dynamics Model expertise Does not support saturated runoff generating areas Does not consider secondary currents Does not incorporate Zooplankton Simplified hydrological processes Limited hydrodynamics Cannot simulate changes in aquatic ecosystem dynamics Requires detailed spatial data Not user friendly Simplified biogeochemical processes Does not simulate vegetation or forest changes Empirical water quality simulations Does not incorporate urban drainage Limited to urban watersheds Does not simulate BMPs Limited developer and community support Limited to polder systems Steady state conditions No Water Quality Limited to small stream networks Semi-distributed model Does not incorporate wind effects Poor prediction of peak flows Loads modeled by scenarios with MP effects are always lower than the alternative scenario because the CBPWSM assigns a load reduction credit to each MP Does not simulate P Inaccurate seasonal & decadal and climate projections Limited to cold regions Does not deal with NPS pollution Poor simulation of small watersheds Cannot fully capture lateral floodplain interactions Calibration Complexity Limited to main stream simulation Monthly nutrient load outputs Limited applications in subtropical regions Requires numerous parameters and complex calibration Temporally lumped Limited applications for representing hydrological consequences of climate change Poor simulation of suspended solids Empirical P simulations Limited to Florida terrain Requires high computational resources to be coupled with GA optimization

Model Library

Model library serves as a comprehensive reference guide for various watershed and waterbody simulation models. It provides detailed descriptions of each model’s type, developers, capabilities, limitations, computational requirements, and data inputs and outputs. The aim is to assist researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in selecting the most suitable modeling tools for their specific application. Each model entry includes links to download resources if it is open-source, relevant references, and examples of practical applications to further support users in making informed decisions. For more details see Model Library.