Cyber-Infrastructure to Enhance
Access to Data- and Computationally-
Intensive Modeling for Water
Resources Management
Steven J. BurianAssociate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Director, USAID-funded Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in WaterAssociate Director, Global Change and Sustainability Center
University of Utah
Norm Jones, Jim Nelson, Chris Latu, Nathan Swain, Scott Christensen, Spencer Taylor
David Tarboton, Jeffery Horsburgh, David Rosenberg, Pabitra Dash, Tseganeh Gichamo, Adel Abdallah
Steve Burian, Court Strong, Christine Pomeroy, Erfan Goharian, Adam Kochanski
Fred Ogden, Scott Miller
Jeff Niermeyer, Laura Briefer, Tracie Kirkham
Collaboration
Low amount of and seasonal precipitation
Warm and dry climate
Data gaps and uncertainty
Growing urban population
Climate variability and change
Future Water Challenges
Traditional Modeling Software Paradigm
A Digital DivideHPC SpecialistsResearchers
Experimentalists Modelers
awkgrep
vi
#PBS -l nodes=4:ppn=8
mpiexec
chmod#!/bin/bash
We are developing a suite of tools for building Cloud-based applications for modeling in support of water management decision-making.
Data Sources
Numerical Models
Python Scripts
Server
Web Apps
End Users & Decision Makers
CI-WATER System
Map & Data Servers
Data Repositories
Model Result Repositories
Visualization Tools
Models
Model Scripting
Model Components
Water
ManagersState Planners
Hydrologic
ResearchersStudents
General
Public
High Performance Computing
What is an app?
Tethys Software Framework
Web Mapping and Modeling
Plotting
Commercial Cloud-Computing Resources
(Amazon, Google, Microsoft, etc.)
Distributed
Computing Web-Based Modeling Application
Modeling Server
LAN DesktopComputing Resources
12
CASE STUDY: SALT LAKE CITY WATER MANAGEMENT
Stakeholders SLCDPU: J. Niermeyer, L. Briefer, T. Kirkham
University of Utah: Burian/Goharian (Civil Engineering), Strong (Atmospheric Sciences), Stoker (Planning), Christensen (Biology/Ecosystems), Ehleringer (Biology), Harper (CHPC), McCool (PoliSci), Hunter (Utah Education Network)
WWA: T. Bardsley
Salt Lake City
Wasatch
fron
tJo
rdan
Riv
er
Farmington Bay
Water Supply
60% from the four of the seven canyons above the City:
City Creek, Parleys Creek,Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood
20% Deer Creek and Provo System
Rest from wells, springs and groundwater
36 km
12 km
4 km
In productionon Yellowstone!
Climate Data Access
CMIP5 projections
Code identifies GCM with wettest
and driest bias
(BCSD 5)
Disaggregates wettest & driest
scenarios to
hourly (BCCA 5)
Applicable for U.S.
CI-WATER simulations use WRF model with three nested domains
36 km
12 km
4 km
Boundary conditions: 6-houlry NCEP CFSR~38 km resolution
1985-19941995-present
CMIP5 (~1)2025-2035 2055-2065 2085-2095
Customizations related to water: Saturation vapor pressureUrban irrigation Lake model
Dynamical Downscaling
Climate Modeling and Data Access
Urban Water Supply System
Model (Goldsim)
Hydrologic Model (BYU, USU, WYO)
Stormwater Model (SWMM)
http://www.hiddenwaters.org/
Water Quality Model
Demand Scenarios
clim
ate
imp
acte
d
flo
ws
Hydrologic Model (CBRFC, RHESSys)
Water System Model
clim
ate
imp
acte
d
flo
ws
Research Questions
What is impact of climate change on Salt Lake Citys water supply system performance?
Future reliability and vulnerability of SLC water supply system?
What impact will Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) have on SLCs integrated urban water system performance?
#1. Climate Impacts
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Str
eam
flow
(cf
s)
Big Cottonwood Creek
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Str
eam
flow
(cf
s)
Dell Creek
Warm Wet Warm DryMiddle Hot WetHot Dry His
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Str
eam
flow
(cf
s)
City Creek
WWN5
WDN5
CTN5
HWN5
HDN5
His
#2. Future of water in SLC
#3. RWH
Cost Analysis
(5-year Period) (60-year Period)
SLCDPU Conclusions (so far)
Salt Lake Citys surface water sources show significant sensitivities to increasing temperature
Earlier runoff timing presents challenges in meeting late summer demands
Sources have different vulnerabilities
RWH can benefit broader IWRM goals
Thank You!
Steven J. BurianAssociate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Director, USAID-funded Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in WaterAssociate Director, Global Change and Sustainability Center
University of Utah
http://urbanwater.utah.edu/
