Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
I. Title Page
Title:
Subtheme this proposal is
responding to
Principal Investigator and
Receiving Institution
Co-Principal Investigators
Co-Principal Investigator
Co-Principal Investigator
Principal Collaborator
Local Collaborator
Grants Contact Person
Funding requested:
Total cost share (value of
financial and in-kind
contributions):
Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects
of forest and fire management on sediment and phosporus loads in
surface runoff in the Lake Tahoe Basin
Theme: FOREST HEALTH
Subtheme 1b: Improving WEPP-based analysis of forest management
activities at the watershed scale
Dr. William Elliot
USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station
1221 South Main Street, Moscow, ID 83843
Phone: (208)-883-2338; Fax: (208)-883-2318
Email: welliot@fs.fed.us
Drs. Erin S. Brooks and Jan Boll
Biological and Agricultural Engineering & Water Resources Prgm
University of Idaho, P.O. Box 442060, Moscow, ID 83844–2060;
Phone: (208) 885–6562; Fax: (208) 885–8923;
Email: ebrooks@uidaho.edu and jboll@uidaho.edu
Dr. Randy Foltz
USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station
1221 South Main Street, Moscow, ID 83843
Phone: (208)-883-2312; Fax: (208)-883-2318
Email: rfoltz@fs.fed.us
Dr. Mike Hogan
Integrated Environmental Restoration Services
PO Box 7559, Tahoe City, CA 96145
Phone: (530) 581 4377; Fax: (530) 581 0359
Email: mhogan@ierstahoe.com
Dr. Dennis Flanagan, National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory
USDA Agricultural Research Service
275 S. Russell St., W. Lafayette, IN 47907-2077
Phone: (765) 494-7748; Fax: (765) 494-5948
Email: Dennis.Flanagan@ars.usda.gov
Dr. Joey Keely, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
USDA Forest Service
35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Phone: (530) 543-2600 Fax (530) 543 2693
Cindy Gordon
Supervisory Grants Manager
USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station
240 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526
Phone: 970-498-1172
Fax: 970-498-1396
Email: cdgordon@fs.fed.us
$ 489,361
$ 188,721
1
Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
II. Proposal Narrative (up to 7 pages, single-spaced, 10 point font minimum)
A. Project abstract (1 paragraph summary for public distribution)
In order to reduce fire risk within forested areas in the Tahoe Basin, numerous fuel management activities
to thin, harvest, burn and masticate excessive fuels are necessary. To support these activities a road
network with landings is required. We propose to meet with stakeholders in the basin to determine the
current fuel management activities. We will then develop watershed tools to allow mangers to evaluate
the subwatershed effects of these activities in terms of fine sediment and phosphorus delivery from
subwatersehds that were treated. The approach to the tool will be based on previous work supported by
the SNPLMA and others. In Round 7, Brooks et al. generated three products based on the Water Erosion
Prediction Project (WEPP) Model to aid in evaluating sources of sediment in the Lake Tahoe Basin, and
the effects of forest management on sediment generation. One was a database including the digital
elevation model for the basin, the soil maps, the land coverage, and a weather database including all
SNOTEL stations within the basin. The second product was an online interface to run individual
hillslopes to estimate the runoff and sediment generation associated with wildfire and forest management.
The third product was a series of calculations to use the WEPP model to predict the distribution of
erosion within the basin under the current cover. In a complementary project, an online GIS interface is
under development for the WEPP watershed version to allow users to run WEPP Watershed without the
need to be proficient in, or even purchase a GIS. Another WEPP development is the incorporation of
water quality algorithms by Forest Service researchers into WEPP runoff and sediment predictions. We
propose to incorporate the Tahoe Basin database into the online WEPP Watershed interface to allow users
to carry out watershed analyses within the Tahoe Basin. We will then enhance that online interface to
include the PERL scripts developed by Brooks et al. in Round 7 to allow a more comprehensive analysis
of runoff and water yield from the basin. The interface will be further enhanced to include a channel
flood routing and erosion prediction currently not available with the WEPP technology. The proposed
output interface will be developed to aid in interpreting model predictions, and in linking those
predictions to the Tahoe Basin TMDL. To estimate the erodibility of landings, soil erodibility properties
will be measured by two types of rainfall simulator and a constant head permeameter. The results added
to a growing database of Tahoe-specific WEPP soil erodibility values. During the project, semi annual
teleconferences will be held between the stakeholders and the research team. At the end of the project, a
workshop will be held to train potential users on using the tool. A monitoring program will be initiated
using flumes and turbidity meters, along with grab samples to see if sediment from forest management
activities can be detected at the subwatershed scale on two disturbed and to undisturbed forested
subwatersheds.
B. Justification statement: explain the relationship between the proposal and the subtheme
Subtheme 1b states that ―
Current and future forest management activities may include hand thinning, cutto-length harvest, whole tree removal, cable logging, mastication, chipping, understory and/or pile
burning, road management, and defensible space practices. Well-designed analytical tools, such as the
Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) suite of computer models, can be used to improve the planning
and evaluation of forest treatment projects across diverse landscapes, and generate shared understanding
between implementers and regulators regarding risks, costs, and benefits of treatment alternatives,
particularly with regard to water quality impacts. At present, the WEPP suite of computer models is
sufficiently robust to allow relatively rapid completion of complex evaluations of individual hillslopes,
but not multiple hillslopes and features forming a complex watershed including roads and landings; the
latter can be accomplished only by expert modelers using a research-grade version of WEPP. The
management need is to produce and validate a user-friendly, web-based, Basin-specific, watershed
version of WEPP. It must be sufficiently robust to help design and evaluate projects to ensure that they
meet all relevant forest management and regulatory objectives related to water quality (e.g., fine sediment
and nutrients)..‖ This proposal is intended to directly address these needs, to develop, parameterize,
validate and transfer a WEPP-based tool for use in forested sub watersheds in the Tahoe Basin.
2
Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
C. Concise background and problem statement
In the absence of disturbance, forest hillslopes erode very little, and water leaving forested watersheds is
generally subsurface lateral flow or interflow and groundwater. When a forest is disturbed, surface runoff
may increase, generating surface runoff and sediment delivery. In some cases, such disturbance can also
release nutrients like phosphorus to runoff and subsurface lateral flow, adversely affecting offsite water
quality. If there is no forest management, then the risk of wildfire is increased, as is the probability of
elevated erosion rates much greater than those associated with disturbances from forest management.
Managers need to have tools that will allow them to integrate the effects of forest management in time
and space in order to evaluate the potential benefits of forest management activities, and to look at
different management strategies, such as thinning verses prescribed fire, or targeting treatments on sites of
greatest risk of wildfire or sites of greatest risk to property, etc. The problem managers need to solve is
how to predict the effects of forest management activities on runoff, sediment delivery, and nutrient
loading.
We propose to develop an online tool that will predict the effects of different forest management
strategies and wildfire on the delivery of fine sediment and phosphorus at a sub watershed scale. The
online interface will make the model inputs and outputs relatively easy to interpret by users who may not
have the GIS skills needed to run a more complex watershed model. It will incorporate the ability to
evaluate sediment delivery from road networks and landings associated with forest management. We will
install monitoring equipment to validate the model preditions.
D. Goals, objectives, and hypotheses to be tested
The goal of this project is to develop an online GIS interface to allow users to evaluate watershed impacts
of fuel management activities. Specifically, we propose to:
1. Meet with watershed management stakeholders at the beginning of each research year to present
proposed research direction and receive feedback on user needs;
2. Enhance the online GIS watershed tool that is under development to include:
a. The Brooks et al. (2010) soil, climate, vegetation with canopy and topography databases;
b. A linear base flow model (Brookes et al., 2010; Elliot et al., 2010);
c. The future climate scenarios under development by Coates (2010);
d. Enhanced flood routing routines;
e. Fine sediment concentration prediction;
f. Estimates of phosphorus loading;
3. Validate the model using existing hillslope and watershed scale observations from basin
monitoring activities;
4. Compare the hydraulic conductivity of forest landings measured by three methods:
a. Oscillating fan nozzle rainfall simulator;
b. Drop forming needle rainfall simulator;
c. Constant head permeameter;
5. Measure the interrill erodibility of landings using nozzle and drop forming simulators;
6. Measure the rill erodibility of landings with concentrated flow;
7. Initiate a monitoring protocol in subwatersheds with forest management activities to see if
excessive sediment and phosphorus is generated by the management activity, and to aid in model
validation;
8. Lead a workshop on the use of the proposed model; and
9. Set up and maintain the server with the software targeting Tahoe Basin needs for the foreseeable
future.
3
Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
E. Approach, methodology and location of research
The WEPP Model
The proposed erosion model behind the interface is the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model.
This is the same model used by Brooks et al. (2010) to develop on online project scale management tool
for the basin (Tahoe Basin Sediment Model; http://forest.moscowfsl.wsu.edu/fswepp/) and to drive a
complex watershed scale tool by adding groundwater processes. WEPP is a process-based hydrology and
erosion prediction model built on the fundamentals of hydrology, plant science, hydraulics, and erosion
mechanics (Laflen et al., 1997). WEPP’s most notable advantages include its capabilities for estimating
spatial and temporal distributions of soil detachment and deposition on an event or continuous basis, at
both small (hillslopes, roads, small parcels) and large (watershed) scales as affected by land-use and
management practices (Flanagan and Livingston, 1995). WEPP has been parameterized for various
benchmark soils across the U.S. and the model performance assessed under a broad variety of land-use
and management conditions, including forestlands, roads, and prescribed and natural fires (Laflen et al.,
1997). In addition, a daily weather file can be generated with CLIGEN, an auxiliary stochastic climate
generator (Flanagan and Nearing, 1995), when observed weather data are not available or when predicting
future weather or extreme event analysis. One of the features of WEPP that make it particularly suited for
the Tahoe Basin is that it is one of the few erosion models that includes snow accumulation and melt in
the prediction of runoff and erosion (Flanagan and Nearing, 1995).
The WEPP model has two versions: Hillslope and Watershed. A Windows interface can run either
version. The watershed version combines the outputs from individual hillslope polygons of 5 to 10 ha
each, and then routes the surface runoff, subsurface lateral flow, and eroded sediment through the stream
system. The channels may experience deposition or erosion, depending on the amount of sediment
delivered from the hillslopes, the channel flow rates, and the channel gradient. The online versions
developed by Elliot (2004) and the Tahoe Sediment Basin Model (Brooks et al., 2010) are all interfaces to
the hillslope version. The Watershed analysis conducted by Brooks et al. (2010) combined the outputs
from individual hillslope runs, but did not route the surface runoff and lateral flow thorough a stream
system. Brooks et al. (2010) and Elliot et al. (2010) presented methods for incorporating base flows into
runoff from forested watersheds, using outputs from the hydrology model within WEPP to recharge a
temporary groundwater reservoir. The water in the reservoir can then to used by a linear flow model to
estimate daily base flow in the stream. The GeoWEPP model (Renschler, 2003) is an interface to the
WEPP Watershed version, but is limited in the size of watershed it can consider to about 5 sq km (2 sq
miles) because it requires a single climate for the entire watershed, and the hydrology and channel
routines are not suited for watersheds with perennial flows. Unfortunately, GeoWEPP only works with
ArcGIS 9.x, which is no longer supported by it developers.
WEPP Input Files
The WEPP model requires four input files: Soil, Climate, Vegetation, and Topography. As part of their
Round 7 SNPLMA project, Brooks et al. (2010) developed a database of the soils and current vegetation
with canopy in the Tahoe Basin, and demonstrated that their tool could do a reasonable job of modeling
observed hydrographs (Brooks et al., 2010; Elliot et al., 2010). This database was expanded to support
the online Tahoe Basin Sediment Model to include soil and vegetation files describing forest management
activities including prescribed fire, thinning, and wildfire (Brooks et al., 2010). The Brooks et al. Round
7 project collated a 30-m DEM for the basin, so the necessary topographic data are available. The Round
7 project also expanded the climate database to include seven SNOTEL stations within the basin, and the
ability to combine the observed data from those stations with the PRISM database to assign a site specific
climate to every 800-m grid within the basin. Rainfall simulations from both volcanic and granitic Basin
Roads were carried out as part of the Foltz Round 7 Project (Foltz et al., 2011). The erodibility of Basin
roads has been incorporated into the current online interface (Brooks et al., 2010). In the Elliot et al.
Round 10 proposal (Elliot et al., 2009), the investigators will be incorporating future climates into the
4
Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
WEPP database that are under development by Coates (2010) in their Round 9 proposal, and these
climates, with warmer and slightly wetter climates will be available for evaluating forest management
practices under current and future climates.
Rainfall Simulation
In recent years, two types of rainfall simulators and a constant head permeameter have been used in the
basin to measure impacts of disturbances (Figure 1). Grismer and Hogan have evaluated ski slopes and
roads and other disturbances under different methods of restoration using a drop forming simulator,
whereas Foltz has evaluated roads and burn piles using a fan nozzle simulator. In addition, the Forest
Service has been using a constant head permeameter to evaluate the impact of removing excessive fuel.
One soil condition not in the current WEPP database is the landings. This proposal will carry out rainfall
simulations by two different methods, fan nozzle and drop former and a constant head permeameter on
the same site to not only provide information on landings, but also allow better evaluation of erodibility
values measured by the two simulators and the permeameter in previous studies within the Tahoe Basin.
We will also measure rill erodibility of landings using concentrated flow (Foltz et al., 2008).
The Online Interface to the WEPP Watershed Version
An new online interface for the WEPP Watershed Version was released in 2011 (Figure 2; Frankenberger
et al., 2011). It can be accessed at < http://207.180.113.223/from_jim/wepp1.php >. The interface
includes a database for typical forest vegetation and soil conditions. Figure 2 is a screen shot of this
interface running on this new server for a subwatershed in the Ward Creek Watershed in the Tahoe Basin.
Nutrient and Fine Sediment Prediction
The WEPP Watershed output includes runoff from two sources, surface runoff and subsurface lateral
flow. We propose to estimate phosphorus concentrations in each of these sources, add to that phosphorus
in detached sediment, and present the total phosphorus yield from a watershed. This technology is
currently under development in the Elliot Round 9 SNPLMA funding (Figure 3).
The WEPP model predicts sediment delivery in 5 size classes: Primary sand, silt and clay, and large and
small aggregates. The ability to predict fine sediment from the WEPP output was presented at the user
workshop as part of the Round 7 SNPLMA proposal (Brooks et al., 2010). This method will be
incorporated into the proposed watershed interface.
Monitoring and Validation
We propose to use hillslope-scale monitoring data collected by Treaumer (2009), and Hogan and Grismer
from past and proposed monitoring activities (Round 11) within the basin, to evaluate the performance of
the model at individual hillslopes within a watershed. We propose to evaluate the accuracy of the
phosphorus model to simulate watershed outlet predictions using the extensive watershed-scale database
collected bv LTIMP during the past two decades for sediment (Brooks et al., 2010) and nutrient content
(Byron and Goldman, 1989, Coates and Goldman, 2001; Coates, 2004).
In addition, we will install 4 flumes with turbidity meters, two at outlets to subwatersheds with fuel
management activities, and two on subwatersheds without. We will attempt to collect grab samples during
peak snow melt times and also following severe rainfall events to use for calibrating turbidity with
sediment concentration and phosphorus delivery, although we recognize that access may be limited at that
time of the year. We will also compare our results to others who have carried out similar studies within
the basin.
Approach
This is a synthesis project to draw together the results from numerous other modeling projects funded by
the SNPLMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, the USDA Conservation Effectiveness Assessment (CEAP)
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Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
Program, the Agricultural Research Service, and the Rocky Mountain Research Station. We propose to
expand the databases for the Online WEPP Watershed Version 2011 Interface to include:
1. The Brooks et al. (2010) soil, climate and elevation database for the Tahoe Basin developed
for the watershed analysis component of that study;
2. The Brooks et al. (2010) vegetation database developed for the Tahoe Basin Sediment Model;
3. The Foltz et al. (2011) Basin Road erodibility data collected in Foltz et al.’s Round 7 project;
4. The additional soil and vegetation databases proposed to be developed during the Elliot et al
(2009) SNPLMA project;
5. Base flow in the stream will be estimated by a temporary groundwater reservoir and a linear
flow model (Brooks et al., 2010; Elliot et al., 2010);
6. The future climates developed by Coates (2010);
7. The improved channel flood routing algorithms developed for the WEPP Watershed version
by Wang et al. (2010);
8. The phosphorus and fine sediment predictions under development for the Elliot Round 10
enhancement to the Tahoe Basin Sediment Model;
9. The Tahoe Basin GIS road layer;
10. The ability to incorporate sediment from a landing manually specified by the user.
Locations of Work
The proposed modeling work will be done at the University of Idaho and Rocky Mountain Research
Station Forestry Sciences Laboratory in Moscow, ID, the USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research
Laboratory in W. Lafayette, IN, the IERS offices in Tahoe City, and on landings in forested areas within
the Tahoe Basin. There will be three meetings plus a workshop held within the Tahoe Basin. During the
three meetings, there will be site visits to interact with Basin specialists, and to gain a better
understanding of some of the site-specific conditions that need to be modeled, in particular, the degree of
site disturbance associated with fuel treatment activities and the distribution of landings.
F. Relationship of the research to previous and current relevant research, monitoring, and/or
environmental improvement efforts
This project relies heavily on work that has already been complete, or is currently under way. The
previous and current SNPLMA projects and their relationship are listed in table 1.
Our proposed study will complement the current SNPLMA projects to the greatest extent possible, since
many of these projects are conducted by the same PI and Co-PIs. Please note that our proposed study will
develop new online interface that has totally different structure using the WEPP watershed version,
whereas the previous projects (Round 7 Tahoe Basin Sediment Model and Round 8 the Tahoe Project
Sediment Model) develop online interfaces based on the less complex WEPP Hillslope version.
In addition to the above collaborations, the Army Corps of Engineers Chicago office have provided the
funding needed to develop the current interface for forests conditions and to assist in the addition of roads
and wildfire effects into an online interface. The Forest Service Region 1 Resource Information
Management Program provided funding to develop the database to include Region 1 forest soils and
digital elevation data, and the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station provided funding
to develop a method to incorporate the post wildfire burned area reflectance category (BARC) map into
an online interface.
6
Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
Table 1. Related previous and current SNPLMA projects and relationship
SNPLMA
Project Title
PIs
Relationship
Round
Validation of a Landscape-Level
6
Weisberg Provide Tahoe-specific
Simulation model for Analyzing Biomass
Ganschow parameterization of C-N-P pools
Management Impacts on Forest
Miller
for wildfire, prescribed burn, and
Ecosystems
Johnson mechanical harvesting
Assessing the sources and transport of fine
7
Brooks * Provide climate, soil and
sediment in response to management
Elliot*.
vegetation files that were
practices in the Tahoe Basin using the
Wu, Boll* specifically customized for the
WEPP model
Lake Tahoe basin and developed
the linear flow model for base
flow.
Improving Road Erosion Modeling for the
7
Foltz*
Provide WEPP erosion
Lake Tahoe Basin and Evaluating BMP
Elliot*
parameters specific to the Lake
Strategies for Fine Sediment Reduction at
Chung
Tahoe basin and incorporate
Watershed Scales
Rhee
them into WEPP interface
The effects of climate change on Lake
8
Reuter
Will provide future climate
Tahoe and implications for design of best
Coates
scenarios
management practices.
Nutrient and Sediment Loading
8
Treaumer May provide phosphorous data
Predictions for Prescribed Fire Using
Grismer and pile burn soil properties
Optimized WEPP Model
Miller
Integrated Decision Support for Cost
8
Jones
Proposed tool includes WEPP
Effective Fuel Treatments Under Multiple
Chung
technology and similar database
Resource Goals
Elliot *
to this proposed project
Development and validation of the Tahoe
10
Elliot *
Provide Tahoe-specific climate,
Project Sediment Model
Brooks * soil, and vegetation files.
Treaumer
*
Indicates that the previous and proposed SNPLMA projects share the same PI or Co-PIs as this proposal
G. Strategy for engaging with managers and obtaining permits
Managers are already been engaged in this project through the Brooks et al. (2010) Round 7 onsite visits,
a seminar and a workshop, ten presentations to date at recent Tahoe Basin Science Conferences and
workshops, as well as Elliot serving on a review panel in 2008 and reviewing a monitoring proposal in
2010. We will arrange visits during years 1 and 2 to the basin and include seminars where stakeholders
will be invited to be briefed on the new tool, and a hands-on 1-day workshop will be held in year 3
presenting the beta version of the tool.
We will work with the Forest Service to obtain any permits needed for the rainfall simulation or
monitoring studies, as we anticipate that these activities will be carried out on Forest Service land.
H. Description of deliverables/products and plan for how data and products will be reviewed and made
available to end users
There will be four main deliverables associated with this proposal:
1. An online watershed interface;
2. A hands-on workshop on using the interface;
3. A peer-reviewed publication from the rainfall simulation work; and
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Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
4. A report on monitoring observations.
The online interface will be reviewed at the beginning of the project, and at the beginning of year 2 by
stakeholders within the basin. It will be ―pu
blished‖ during the hands-on workshop at the end of the third
year of this project. Once it is published online, it will be available to anyone with an internet access
anywhere in the world. We will commit to ensuring that the server is maintained for at least five years
beyond this project.
The peer-reviewed publication will be drafted near the end of the second year, following the validation
activities. It will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.
We anticipate at least 3 presentations will be made about the proposed interface at professional meetings
during or in the year following the project. There will also be at least two presentations associated with
this project at a Tahoe Science Conference, one on the interface, and one on the simulation study.
A report will be prepared on the results of the monitoring data, and a means to continue to monitoring
beyond the life of the project will be pursued. It is likely that either IERS or the LTBMU will continue the
monitoring, but it is beyond the scope of this proposal.
8
Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
III. Schedule of major milestones/deliverables
We assume that our project will begin on July 1, 2012 and end on December 31, 2014. Milestones and
Deliverables are described and scheduled in the following table.
Milestone/Deliverables
Quarterly progress reports
Start Date
Jul 1,
2012
End Date
Dec 31,
2014
Annual accomplishment
reports
Jul 1,
2012
Install a server specific for
this project
July 1,
2012
Sep 30,
2012, 2013
& 2014
December,
2012
Carry out rainfall
simulations on landings
Carry out concentrated
flow simulations on
landings
Incorporation of DEM and
Soil layers
Incorporation of
Groundwater flow
Incorporate flood and
sediment routing
August 1,
2012
September
1, 2012
December
31, 2012
December
31, 2012
Jan,
2013
Jan 1,
2012
Jul 1,
2012
Jun 31,
2012
Jun 30,
2012
Dec 31,
2012
Jan 1,
2013
May 31,
2013
Jun 1,
2013
Jan 1,
2014
Mar 1.
2014
Mar 1,
2014
Dec 31,
2013
Sep 30,
2014
Jun 30,
2014
Dec. 31,
2019
Incorporation of nutrient
and fine sediment
prediction into WEPP
output
Validation
Draft peer-reviewed
manuscript
Workshop
Maintain Linux Server
with software
9
Description
Submit brief progress report to Tahoe Science
Program coordinator in July, October,
January, and April.
Prepare and submit annual summary of
accomplishments in October.
Purchase and obtain clearance to install a
public server on the Univ. of ID intranet.
Install the existing online interface as a base
on which to build the proposed Tahoe
interface
Carry out side by side rainfall simulations and
complete initial data analysis
Carry out rill simulations and complete initial
data analysis
Add DEM & soil layers for the Tahoe Basin
Add the Brooks et al. (2010) groundwater
algorithms
Add flood routing method and simple
sediment transport and channel erosion
algorithms
Add post processing routines to online
interface to predict sources of phosphorus by
hillslope, and amount of fine sediment.
Compare predicted runoff, sediment delivery
and nutrient load to observed values
Prepare draft manuscript for submission to an
adequate peer-reviewed journal.
Plan and carry out hands on workshop within
the basin.
Maintain, backup, repair, upgrade, and replace
LINUX servers with software developed for
this and related projects.
Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
IV. Literature cited/References (Up to 2 pages)
Brooks, E.S., W.J. Elliot, J. Boll and J. Wu. 2010. Final Report, Assessing the Sources and Transport of
Fine Sediment in Response to Management Practices in the Tahoe Basin using the WEPP Model.
Moscow, ID: University of Idaho.
Byron, E.R., and C.R. Goldman. 1989. Land-use and water quality in tributary streams of Lake Tahoe,
California-Nevada. J. Environ. Qual. 18:84-88.
Coates, R. 2004. Nutrient and sediment transport in streams of Lake Tahoe Basin: A 30-year
retrospective. Presented at the Sierra Nevada Science Symposium Oct. 7-10, 2002. General
Technical Report PSW-GTR-193. Arcata, CA: USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research
Station. 143-147.
Coates, R.N. and C.R. Goldman. 2001. Patterns of nitrogen transport in streams of Lake Tahoe Basin,
California-Nevada. Water Resources Research 37(2):405-415.
Coates, R., J. Reuter, M. Dettinger, J. Riverson, G. Sahoo, G. Schladow, B. Wolfe, and M. Costa-Cabral.
2010. The effects of climate change on Lake Tahoe in the 21st Century: Meteorology, Hydrology,
Loading and Lake Response. Final Report, USDA-FS LTBMU, Pacific Southwest Research Station,
200 p.
Elliot, W.J. 2004. WEPP Internet interfaces for forest erosion prediction. Journal of the American
Water Resources Assoc. 40(2):299-309.
Elliot, W.J. 2009. Developing an Online GIS-Based Tool to Predict Soil Erosion from Forested
Watersheds. Development proposal funded by the Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District,
March, 2009. Moscow, ID: Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.
Elliot, W. 2010. Worksheet Developed for the Lake Tahoe Basin Sediment Model Workshop. Online at
< http://forest.moscowfsl.wsu.edu/fswepp/docs/tahoe/TahoeWorksheet.pdf>. Accessed Oct. 2010. 6
p.
Elliot, W., E. Brooks, T. Link, and S. Miller. 2010. Incorporating groundwater flow into the WEPP
model. Proc. of the 2nd Joint Federal Interagency Conference, 27 Jun - 1 Jul, Las Vegas, NV. 12 p.
Elliot, W., E. Brooks and D. Treaumor. 2009. Development and Validation of the Tahoe Project
Sediment Model. Research proposal submitted to the Southern Nevada Public Land Management
Act, November, 2009. Online at : <
http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/partnerships/tahoescience/documents/p052_Elliot_OK_redact.pdf>
Accessed October, 2010.
Elliot, W.J., P.J. Edwards and R.B. Foltz. 2011. Research related to roads in experimental forests. In,
Hayes, D., S. Stout and R. Crawford (Eds.). Research in Forest Service Experimental Watersheds (In
Press). New York: Springer Publishing. 25 p.
Flanagan, D.C. and M.A. Nearing, (eds.) 1995. WEPP Technical Documentation, NSERL Rep. 10. West
Lafayette, IN: USDA ARS NSERL.
Flanagan, D.C., and S.J. Livingston, eds. 1995. WEPP User Summary. NSERL Rep. No. 11. West
Lafayette, IN: USDA ARS NSERL.
Foltz, R.B., H. Rhee and W.J. Elliot. 2008. Modeling changes in rill erodiblity and critical shear stress
on native surface roads. Hydrologic Processes 22:4783-4788.
Foltz, R.B., W.J. Elliot, and N.S. Wagenbrenner. 2011. Parent material/soil texture-based parameters
compared to using site-specific parameters. Transactions of ASABE. 54(4): 1347-1356.
Frankenberger, J.R., S. Dun, D.C. Flanagan, J.Q. Wu, W.J. Elliot. 2011. Development of a GIS interface
for WEPP model applications to Great Lakes forested watersheds. Presented at the International
Symposium on Erosion and Landscape Evolution, 18-21 September, 2011. Anchorage, AK. Paper no.
11139. St. Joseph, MI: ASABE. 8 p.
Laflen, J.M., W.J. Elliot, D.C. Flanagan, C.R. Meyer, and M.A. Nearing. 1997. WEPP—predicting water
erosion using a process-based model. J. Soil Water Conserv. 52, 96–102.
Renschler, C.S. 2003. Designing geo-spatial interfaces to scale process models: The GeoWEPP approach.
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Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
Hydrological Processes 17: 1005-1017.
Reuter, J. and J. Coates. 2008. The effects of climate change on Lake Tahoe and implications for design
of best management practices. Research proposal submitted to the Southern Nevada Public Land
Management Act, November, 2008. Online at : <
http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/partnerships/tahoescience/documents/ReuterClimateChangeProposal.pdf>.
Accessed October, 2010.
Rhee, H., X. Liu, S. Dun, J. Wu, P. Conrad, R. McNearny and B. Elliot. 2011. Effects of surface coal
mining on soil hydraulic properties in Eastern Montana. Presented at the Society of Mining Engineers
Annual Meeting, 27 Feb., - 2 March, Denver, CO.
Traeumer, D., M. Grismer and W. Miller. 2008. Nutrient and sediment loading predictions for
prescribed fire using optimized WEPP model. Research proposal submitted to the Southern Nevada
Public Land Management Act, November, 2008. Online at <
http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/partnerships/tahoescience/documents/TraeumerWEPPProposalRedacted.pdf
>. Accessed October, 2010
Wang, L., J.Q. Wu, W.J. Elliot, S. Dun, S. Lapin, F.R. Fiedler, and D.C. Flanagan. 2010.
Implementation of channel-routing routines in the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model,
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simulation model for analysing biomass management impacts on forest ecosystems. Final Report
Round 6 SNPLMA submitted to USDA-FS LTBMU,
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsm9_045981.pdf Accessed Oct. 25, 2010.
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Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
V. Figures
Figure 1. Nozzle simulator (Elliot et al., 2011), drop forming simulator (Arst and Hogan, 2008), and
constant head permeameter (Rhee et al., 2011)
Figure 2. Screen shot of the prototype online WEPP Watershed output showing the distribution of
erosion in a 208-ha subwatershed in the upper part of the Ward Creek Watershed. In order to show the
capability of the model, a low-severity fire soil was selected. Note the green pixels where erosion is
minimal (less than 10 Mg/ha), the dark read where it is the greatest (in excess of 40 Mg/ha), and the
yellow pixels where deposition is predicted.
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Proposal: Development of an Online Watershed Interface to predict the effects of forest and
fire management on sediment and nutrient loads in surface runoff in the Tahoe Basin
Figure 3. Phosphorus calculation table under development for the Tahoe Basin Sediment Model interface.
The concentration values will be a user input dependent on local geology.
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