Integrated watershed (HSPF) and receiving water (CH3D-FC) model developed to simulate FC release, transport, and fate in Sinclair and Dyes Inlets, Puget Sound, WA (larger view).
 

An integrated watershed and receiving water model was developed to simulate fecal coliform (FC) fate and transport in Sinclair and Dyes Inlets, Puget Sound, WA. The integrated model consisted of a watershed model, an empirical FC loading model, and an estuarine fate and transport model.

The watershed model, consisting of 15 Hydrologic Simulation Program Fortran (HSPF) submodels, was deployed to simulate watershed hydrology for streams (open channel flows), stormwater catchments areas (piped flows), and shoreline drainage areas (overland flows) for each drainage basin (DSN) within the watershed.

The empirical FC loading model developed from sampling data gathered from the watershed was used to estimate FC concentrations in surface streams and stormwater outfalls as a function of upstream land use and land cover (LULC). Flow and FC concentrations for discharges from waste water treatment plants (WWTP) were estimated by interpolating data reported on monthly discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) submitted by each facility.

The estuarine model, curvilinear hydrodynamics in three dimensions (CH3D) previously calibrated to match the hydrodynamics of the Inlets and modified to include FC kinetics (CH3D-FC), was used to simulate the release, transport, and fate of FC loading from watershed pour points corresponding to 39 stream mouths, 44 stormwater outfalls, 4 WWTP discharges, and 44 shoreline drainage areas.

The output from HSPF was used as input to CH3D-FC. The time-varying flows produced by HSPF for each of the stream, stormwater, and shoreline pour points were used to calculate the loads based on the loading concentration assigned to each basin. The loads were read into CH3D-FC along with the loads from the WWTPs to simulate the total FC loading for each simulation scenario. The estuarine CH3D-FC model was run to simulate the tides, circulation conditions, fresh water, and FC inputs occurring during individual storm events (10 d) that occured in 2004 and over the course of Water Year 2003 (WY2003) from October 1, 2002 to September 30, 2003 (364 d).

A total of 20 simulation scenarios were run to verify model performance, assess sensitivity and uncertainty, and provide results needed to establish waste load and load allocations for the Total Maximum Daily Load of FC loading in Sinclair and Dyes Inlets. Model verification consisted of comparing model predictions to observed data collected during three storm events sampled in 2004 and observed data collected during WY2003.

Note about grids:

CH3D uses a curvilinear grid that is represented by Cartesian rows and columns. The grid developed for Sinclair and Dyes Inlets contains 91 rows and 96 columns (91x96 grid) with a resolution of about 100 – 150 m (300 – 450 ft). A higher resolution grid was developed to reduce “initial” dilution in areas of low flushing such as the mouths of Clear, Chico, and Karcher Creeks, and other areas including Oyster Bay, Ostrich Bay, Phinney Bay, and near the Shipyard. This higher resolution grid has 94 rows and 105 columns (94x105 grid) with a resolution of about 30 – 50 m (100 – 150 ft) in those areas.

Suggested citation:

Johnston, R.K., Wang, P.F., Loy, E.C., Blake, A.C., Richter, K.E., Brand, C.E. Kyburg, M.C, Skahill, B.E., May, C.W., Cullinan, V., Choi, W., Whitney, V.S., Leisle, D.E., and Beckwith, B. 2009. “An Integrated Watershed and Receiving Water Model for Fecal Coliform Fate and Transport in Sinclair and Dyes Inlets, Puget Sound, WA.” Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Technical Report 1977, Dec. 2, 2009. http://environ.spawar.navy.mil/Projects/ENVVEST/FC_Model_Report/