Rio Blanco WatershedRio Blanco WatershedThe Rest of the StoryThe Rest of the Story

• Located Northwest of Guadalajara, MexicoLocated Northwest of Guadalajara, Mexico

Physical CharacteristicsPhysical Characteristics

• Main river is about 14 miles longMain river is about 14 miles long• Watershed area of roughly 65 miWatershed area of roughly 65 mi22

• Approximately 100,000 residents Approximately 100,000 residents within watershed boundarywithin watershed boundary

• Water was used as a culinary source Water was used as a culinary source before it became so pollutedbefore it became so polluted

• Water is currently used for agriculture Water is currently used for agriculture

Physical CharacteristicsPhysical Characteristics

Watershed ProblemsWatershed Problems• Pesticides and fertilizers from agriculture Pesticides and fertilizers from agriculture • Residential wastewater is not treated Residential wastewater is not treated

prior to dischargeprior to discharge• Waste from cattle, pork, and poultry Waste from cattle, pork, and poultry

farms farms • Small, local factoriesSmall, local factories• Dead animalsDead animals• Garbage Garbage

Suds from detergents in Rio BlancoSuds from detergents in Rio Blanco

Little Hispanic Girl for Scale

Residential DischargeResidential Discharge

Why Nothing has Been DoneWhy Nothing has Been Done• MoneyMoney• Social apathySocial apathy• Lack of fundsLack of funds• Lack of government supportLack of government support• No cashNo cash

Project GoalsProject Goals• Water quality analysis of the Water quality analysis of the

watershedwatershed• Suggest possible solutionsSuggest possible solutions• Create WMS/GIS model of watershedCreate WMS/GIS model of watershed

Project SnagsProject Snags• Watershed delineationWatershed delineation• CommunicationCommunication• Lack of a clear definition of Lack of a clear definition of

objectives from the beginningobjectives from the beginning• Lack of dataLack of data• Different classification systemsDifferent classification systems

Initial Delineation from Initial Delineation from Supplied DEM’sSupplied DEM’s

Initial delineation compared to Initial delineation compared to Mexico’s given delineationMexico’s given delineation

Initial Delineation

Mexico’s Delineation

Closer look at differencesCloser look at differences

Examining the differencesExamining the differences

Initial Delineation Mexico’s

Delineation

Water Quality Analysis Water Quality Analysis Using QUAL2KwUsing QUAL2Kw

QUAL2K and QUAL2KwQUAL2K and QUAL2Kw• QUAL2K is a computer model developed by Greg Pelletier QUAL2K is a computer model developed by Greg Pelletier

and Steve Chapraand Steve Chapra• It is used to simulate water quality in streams and riversIt is used to simulate water quality in streams and rivers• QUAL2K was preceded by QUAL2E, which was originally QUAL2K was preceded by QUAL2E, which was originally

developed in 1987developed in 1987• QUAL2K expands on the capabilities of QUAL2E by adding:QUAL2K expands on the capabilities of QUAL2E by adding:

– Functionality to segment river systems into river reachesFunctionality to segment river systems into river reaches– Input of carbonaceous BOD (CBOD) as slowly or rapidly oxidizing Input of carbonaceous BOD (CBOD) as slowly or rapidly oxidizing

formsforms– Specify algae growth, PH, pathogen quantitiesSpecify algae growth, PH, pathogen quantities– A user interface integrated into Microsoft ExcelA user interface integrated into Microsoft Excel

• QUAL2Kw is related to QUAL2K and simply adds greatly QUAL2Kw is related to QUAL2K and simply adds greatly functionalityfunctionality

• QUAL2Kw is available from the Washington State Department QUAL2Kw is available from the Washington State Department of Ecologyof Ecology

QUAL2Kw UsesQUAL2Kw Uses• Simulate the variation of water quality Simulate the variation of water quality

parametersparameters– Along the length of streamAlong the length of stream– Over the course of a dayOver the course of a day

• Can create a water quality model for a river, Can create a water quality model for a river, which can then be verified through validation and which can then be verified through validation and sensitivity analysessensitivity analyses

• If the model gives good results in the validation If the model gives good results in the validation and sensitivity analyses, it then can be used for and sensitivity analyses, it then can be used for forecastingforecasting

QUAL2Kw ParametersQUAL2Kw ParametersThe most sensitive parameters are:The most sensitive parameters are:1.1. Head water InfoHead water Info

– Lat/long and elevation (location info)Lat/long and elevation (location info)– TemperatureTemperature– Dissolved OxygenDissolved Oxygen– BODBOD– NitrogenNitrogen– PhosphorusPhosphorus– AlkalinityAlkalinity– pHpH2.2. Reach InfoReach Info– Lat/Long and ElevationLat/Long and Elevation– Hydraulic Model (Weir Overrides Rating Curves; Hydraulic Model (Weir Overrides Rating Curves;

Rating Curves Override Manning Formula)Rating Curves Override Manning Formula)– Algal InfoAlgal Info

QUAL2Kw Parameters (contd..)QUAL2Kw Parameters (contd..)

3.3. Air Temperature (Better if hourly)Air Temperature (Better if hourly)4.4. Dew point temperature (Better if hourly)Dew point temperature (Better if hourly)5.5. Wind speed and day light infoWind speed and day light info6.6. Source infoSource info

– Inflow rate and quality (point or distributed)Inflow rate and quality (point or distributed)– Outflow rate and quality (point or distributed)Outflow rate and quality (point or distributed)

7.7. Rates for various chemical reactionsRates for various chemical reactions

Input ParametersInput Parameters• Manning’s nManning’s n

• Wind speedWind speed

• Cloud cover and hours Cloud cover and hours of sunshineof sunshine

• Amount and quality of Amount and quality of inflow sourcesinflow sources

• All the reaction ratesAll the reaction rates

• Channel cross sectionChannel cross section

• Temperature Temperature (Air and Dew Point) (Air and Dew Point)

• Inorganic SolidsInorganic Solids

• Dissolved OxygenDissolved Oxygen

• PhosphorusPhosphorus

• PhytoplanktonPhytoplankton

• AlkalinityAlkalinity

We assumedWe assumed• Lat/Long, elevationLat/Long, elevation

• Suspended solid, Suspended solid, NitrogenNitrogen

• pHpH

• BODBOD

We hadWe had

GraphsGraphsRioBlonco (8/17/2004) Mainstem

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In Order to Improve Our In Order to Improve Our ModelModel• The following data is needed: The following data is needed:

– Sufficient channel geometry dataSufficient channel geometry data– Water quality infoWater quality info– Reaction ratesReaction rates– Climatological dataClimatological data– Inflow/Outflow locations, rates and Inflow/Outflow locations, rates and

quality infoquality info