Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4113
2002
Prepared in cooperation with North Dakota State Water Commission
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A study was conducted to simulate streamflow and wetland storage within a part of the Starkweather Coulee subbasin. Information on streamflow and wetland storage in Starkweather Coulee subbasin may help with the management of water issues in the Devils Lake Basin. Information from a digital elevation model and geographic-information-system analyses of the study area was used to develop the Devils Lake Basin wetlands model. Digital elevation model data and other climatic and topographic data were used as inputs to the model. Within the study area, the average wetland depth was about 2.21 feet, the total maximum wetland area was about 30,890 acres at the overflow elevation, and the total maximum wetland volume was about 68,270 acre-feet.
Model runs were made for water years 1981-98 to calibrate the model to observed streamflows that were obtained from the Starkweather Coulee gaging station. Observed annual peak streamflows were greater than simulated annual peak streamflows for all water years except 1983. The differences probably were caused mostly by the lack of a subroutine in the model to account for frozen soil. The largest amount of simulated daily wetlands area occurred in April 1997 when about 40,500 acres of the study area was covered with water. Also during April 1997, the simulated daily water volume in the open and closed wetlands combined attained a maximum of about 116,000 acre-feet. By increasing the spillage thresholds from 0.2 to 1.0, simulated streamflow was reduced by 8.77 inches (from about 17.88 to 9.11 inches; 49 percent) for the 18-year period. During water years 1994-98, simulated annual streamflows for open-wetland spillage thresholds of 1.0 remained less than for thresholds of 0.2 even though the open wetlands probably were near maximum volume. The greatly increased size of the closed wetlands during water years 1994-98 probably allowed for increased water storage and decreased simulated streamflow from the study area.
Abstract
Introduction
Study area
Climate data acquisition
Digital elevation model and estimation of wetlands area and volume
Hydrologic model
Model parameterization
Model calibration
Simulation of streamflow and wetland storage
Model limitations and considerations
Summary
References
Appendix - The Devils Lake Basin wetlands model, by George H. Leavesley
Introduction
Watershed characterization and parameterization
Model conceptualization
References
Table A1. Original PRMS modules
Table A2. Prairie-pothole PRMS modules
FIGURES
1. Map showing major subbasins within the Devils Lake Basin and locations of study area, gaging station, and weather stations
2. Graph showing monthly precipitation for the study area, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota, water years 1981-98
3. Map showing streamflow network of the study area as determined by GIS Weasel, and location of gaging station, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota
4. Map showing simulated wetlands form the digital elevation model of the study area, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota
5. Map showing locations of wetlands in the study area, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota
6. Map showing simulated hydrologic response units of the study area using GIS Weasel, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota
7. Graph showing Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System simulated and observed daily streamflows, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota, water years 1981-98
8. Graph showing Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System simulated daily water wetlands areas, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota, water years 1981-98
9. Graph showing Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System simulated daily water volumes in open and closed wetlands, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota, water years 1981-98
10. Graph showing Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System simulated annual water volumes in wetlands and in the study area, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota, water years 1981-98
11. Graph showing Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System simulated daily wetlands areas for open-wetlands spillage thresholds of 0.2 and 1.0, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota, water years 1981-98
12. Graph showing changes in Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System simulated wetlands area for an increase in open-wetlands spillage thresholds from 0.2 to 1.0, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota, water years 1981-98
13. Graph showing Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System simulated open-wetlands water volumes at spillage thresholds of 0.2 to 1.0, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota, water years 1981-98
TABLES
1. Hydrologic response unit parameters used in the hydrologic model, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota, water years 1981-98
2. Annual water balance components and cumulative water balance from calibration of the hydrologic model, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota, water years 1981-98
3. Observed and simulated annual streamflows and simulated streamflow as a percentage of observed streamflow, Starkweather coulee subbasin, North Dakota, water years 1981-98
4. Simulated annual streamflow and total-period streamflow for various open-wetlands spillage thresholds, Starkweather Coulee subbasin, North Dakota, water years 1981-98
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