Developing a PlaceDeveloping a Place--Based Based ModellingModelling Tool for Evaluating the Tool for Evaluating the Cost Effectiveness of Beneficial Cost Effectiveness of Beneficial

Management PracticesManagement Practices

WanhongWanhong YangYang

November 18, 2014November 18, 2014

AgriAgri--Environmental ProgramsEnvironmental Programs

Canada: Environmental Farm Plan, Canada: Environmental Farm Plan, GreencoverGreencoverProgram, Lake Simcoe CleanProgram, Lake Simcoe Clean--Up, Lake Winnipeg Basin Up, Lake Winnipeg Basin Stewardship, Alberta ESAIP, ...Stewardship, Alberta ESAIP, ...

U.S. U.S. –– Conservation Reserve Program, Environmental Conservation Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Security Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Security Program, ...Program, ...

Europe: SetEurope: Set--aside Program, aside Program, AgriAgri--environmental environmental Schemes, ...Schemes, ...

Australia: Australia: LandcareLandcare Program, the National Action Plan Program, the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality, for Salinity and Water Quality, ……

Management/Policy QuestionsManagement/Policy Questions

Allocating resources on landscapeAllocating resources on landscape

Targeting programs to critical locations or areasTargeting programs to critical locations or areas

Assessing conservation effectsAssessing conservation effects

Measuring program performanceMeasuring program performance

Determining effluent credits for water quality tradingDetermining effluent credits for water quality trading

……

To Address These Questions, It Is To Address These Questions, It Is Necessary toNecessary to

Quantify conservation effects at specific Quantify conservation effects at specific spatial and time scalesspatial and time scales

Australia Australia –– Market Based Market Based Instrument ProgramInstrument Program

http://www.marketbasedinstruments.gov.au/

Europe Europe –– Black Sea InitiativeBlack Sea Initiative

http://envirogrids.net/

US US –– Conservation Effect Conservation Effect Assessment ProjectAssessment Project

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/technical/nra/ceap

The purpose of the The purpose of the WWatershed atershed EEvaluation of valuation of BBeneficial Management eneficial Management Practices (Practices (BMPsBMPs) program is to assess the ) program is to assess the environmental and economic environmental and economic performance of selected performance of selected BMPsBMPs at the watershed scale.at the watershed scale.

The The WEBsWEBs Program in Canada Program in Canada (2004 (2004 –– 2013)2013)

Lower Little Bow Thomas

Brook

Souris River

Black Brook

Bras d’Henri

Pipestone Creek

South Tobacco

Creek

Salmon River

South Nation (Harker 2011)

WEBs BMPs BC AB SK MB ON QC NB NS PEI

Cattle exclusion fencing (off-stream water)

Off-stream watering without fencing Riparian vegetation management Nutrient input / mgt (synthetic; manure) Tillage / residue mgt Crop rotations Perennial cover Use of less-toxic herbicides Winter bale-grazing Irrigation efficiency Diversion terraces, grassed waterways Surface runoff / tile drainage control Buffer strips Farmyard runoff management Runoff retention pond Wetland restoration

WEBsWEBs BMPsBMPs by Watershedby Watershed

(Harker 2011)

Complexity of the ProblemComplexity of the Problem

Spatial scales: Location, field, farm, Spatial scales: Location, field, farm, subbasinsubbasin, basin, , basin, regionregion

Time scales: Hourly, daily, monthly, yearlyTime scales: Hourly, daily, monthly, yearly

Multiple Multiple BMPsBMPs and multiple benefits (flow, sediment, and multiple benefits (flow, sediment, nutrient, wildlife, nutrient, wildlife, ……))

Economic vs. Economic vs. hydologichydologic vs. ecological unitsvs. ecological units

UncertaintyUncertainty

……

SemiSemi--distributed Model vs. Fully distributed Model vs. Fully Distributed ModelDistributed Model

Advantages and limitations of semiAdvantages and limitations of semi--distributed modelsdistributed models Simulate hydrologic processes Simulate hydrologic processes at watershed and regional at watershed and regional

scalesscales Some models such as SWAT have wideSome models such as SWAT have wide--spread application, spread application,

well tested, solid database, well tested, solid database, …… Suitable for management Suitable for management BMPsBMPs (e.g. tillage), (e.g. tillage), but difficult for but difficult for

simulating structural simulating structural BMPsBMPs (e.g. riparian buffer)(e.g. riparian buffer) Difficult to identify critical source areas for Difficult to identify critical source areas for BMPsBMPs

The need for developing a fully distributed watershed The need for developing a fully distributed watershed model (model (imWEBsimWEBs modelmodel)) Simulate hydrologic processes Simulate hydrologic processes at location, field and farm at location, field and farm

scalesscales Identify Identify critical nonpoint source areascritical nonpoint source areas To more realistically simulate both management and To more realistically simulate both management and

structural structural BMPsBMPs (riparian buffer, wetland, holding pond,(riparian buffer, wetland, holding pond,……))

ModellingModelling in Space and Timein Space and Time

imWEBsimWEBs: Integrated : Integrated ModellingModelling for Watershed Evaluation of for Watershed Evaluation of BMPsBMPsCanSWATCanSWAT: Canadian Version of Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT): Canadian Version of Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)

Evaluating Evaluating BMPsBMPs

imWEBsimWEBs –– Location, Field, Farm to Watershed ScalesLocation, Field, Farm to Watershed ScalesCanSWATCanSWAT –– Watershed to Regional ScalesWatershed to Regional Scales

Targeting Targeting BMPsBMPs

imWEBsimWEBs –– Location, Field, Farm to Watershed ScalesLocation, Field, Farm to Watershed ScalesCanSWATCanSWAT –– Watershed to Regional ScalesWatershed to Regional Scales

One BMP Multiple BMPs

The STC and The STC and StepplerSteppler Watersheds Watersheds (AAFC (AAFC WEBsWEBs))

Five Five BMPsBMPs

1.1. Small damsSmall dams

2.2. Manure Manure holding holding pondsponds

3.3. Riparian Riparian grazing grazing managementmanagement

4.4. Tillage Tillage managementmanagement

5.5. Forage Forage conversionconversion

Zero Tillage compared to Conventional TillageZero Tillage compared to Conventional Tillage

Small ReservoirsSmall Reservoirs

Holding Pond Downstream of Cattle Over-Winter Feeding Area

Holding Pond Downstream of Cattle Over-Winter Feeding Area

Conversion of Crop Land to Forage

Conversion of Crop Land to Forage

Stream

Comparison of Riparian Management; grazed and non-grazed

Comparison of Riparian Management; grazed and non-grazed

The The StepplerSteppler experimental watershed experimental watershed –– 200 ha200 ha

The STC watershed The STC watershed –– 7,500 ha7,500 ha

Background and ObjectivesBackground and Objectives

Existing BMP modelsExisting BMP modelsSWAT, APEX, OthersSWAT, APEX, Others

Advantages and limitationsAdvantages and limitationsStructural Structural BMPsBMPs, Individual BMP, Scale issues in integration, Individual BMP, Scale issues in integration

Gaps between policy and implementationGaps between policy and implementation

Project objectiveProject objectiveTo developed To developed a cella cell--based modular modelling systembased modular modelling system that simulates that simulates ecoeco--hydrologic processes and economic dynamics under beneficial hydrologic processes and economic dynamics under beneficial management practices at a field/farm/watershed scalesmanagement practices at a field/farm/watershed scales

Introduction to Introduction to imWEBsimWEBs

A cellA cell--based modular based modular modellingmodelling systemsystem Specially designed for placeSpecially designed for place--based BMP assessment at based BMP assessment at

location/field/farm/watershed scales under Canadian cold location/field/farm/watershed scales under Canadian cold conditioncondition

Focus more on spatial and temporal distribution of BMP Focus more on spatial and temporal distribution of BMP effects on both water quantity and qualityeffects on both water quantity and quality

Variable time and spatial scalesVariable time and spatial scales Free GIS, database, and open sourceFree GIS, database, and open source Flexibility in defining model objectives and methods depending Flexibility in defining model objectives and methods depending

on project objective, data availability, watershed on project objective, data availability, watershed characteristics, and output of interestcharacteristics, and output of interest

Flexibility in designing and evaluating spatial BMP scenariosFlexibility in designing and evaluating spatial BMP scenarios Fully use of spatial information and field measurement dataFully use of spatial information and field measurement data Easy to integrate with economic and ecologic modelsEasy to integrate with economic and ecologic models

Integrated Integrated ModellingModelling for Water for Water Evaluation of Evaluation of BMPsBMPs ((imWEBsimWEBs))

Open SourceOpen Source ModularModular Free GISFree GIS

Hydrologic and Water Quality Processes Hydrologic and Water Quality Processes

Climate (Climate (PET, Spatial and temporal interpolation, PET, Spatial and temporal interpolation, ……))

Runoff (Runoff (Precipitation and interception, Snow redistribution and Precipitation and interception, Snow redistribution and snowmelt, Depression, Surface runoff and infiltration, snowmelt, Depression, Surface runoff and infiltration, EvapotranspirationEvapotranspiration, Percolation, Interflow, Groundwater flow, Overland , Percolation, Interflow, Groundwater flow, Overland flow and channel flow routing, flow and channel flow routing, ……))

Sediment (Sediment (Erosion, Overland transport and channel routing, Erosion, Overland transport and channel routing, ……))

Plant growthPlant growth

Nutrients (Nutrients (Soil nutrients, Overland transport and channel routing, Soil nutrients, Overland transport and channel routing, ……))

BMP List (To be Expanded)BMP List (To be Expanded)IDID NameName TypeType PriorityPriority11 Point sourcePoint source 11 DoneDone22 Stream flow diversionStream flow diversion 11 DoneDone33 ReservoirReservoir 11 DoneDone44 Riparian wetlandRiparian wetland 11 3355 Riparian bufferRiparian buffer 11 3366 Grass waterwayGrass waterway 22 2277 Filter stripFilter strip 22 2288 PondPond 22 3399 Isolated wetlandIsolated wetland 22 331010 Terrace Terrace 22 331111 Overland flow diversionOverland flow diversion 22 331212 Crop managementCrop management 33 DoneDone1313 Residual management Residual management 33 221414 Tillage managementTillage management 33 DoneDone1515 Fertilizer managementFertilizer management 33 221616 Grazing managementGrazing management 33 221717 Pesticide managementPesticide management 33 331818 Irrigation managementIrrigation management 33 331919 Tile drain managementTile drain management 22 222020 Urban managementUrban management 22 33

GeoSpatialGeoSpatial datadata-- DEM, land use, soilDEM, land use, soil-- Stream network, watershed boundary, farm boundary, field boundaStream network, watershed boundary, farm boundary, field boundary, ry,

location of climate and monitoring stations, distributionlocation of climate and monitoring stations, distribution of structural of structural BMPsBMPs (optional)(optional)

HydroClimateHydroClimate datadata-- Precipitation, temperaturePrecipitation, temperature-- Solar radiation, wind speed, relative air moisture (optional)Solar radiation, wind speed, relative air moisture (optional)-- Flow, sediment, and water quality (nutrient) measurement (optioFlow, sediment, and water quality (nutrient) measurement (optional)nal)

BMP dataBMP data: BMP parameters and initial distribution (available): BMP parameters and initial distribution (available) Parameter databaseParameter database: Default model parameters (available): Default model parameters (available) Lookup databaseLookup database: Lookup tables used to generate spatial model : Lookup tables used to generate spatial model

parameters (available)parameters (available)

imWEBsimWEBs InputsInputs

Time seriesTime seriesTime series of all types of variables at a user defined timTime series of all types of variables at a user defined time interval e interval (hourly, daily, monthly, yearly) and specified locations (hourly, daily, monthly, yearly) and specified locations (location/cell, field, farm, sub(location/cell, field, farm, sub--watershed, reach outlet, and BMP watershed, reach outlet, and BMP site) site)

Spatial DistributionSpatial DistributionSpatial distribution of all types of variables at a user deSpatial distribution of all types of variables at a user defined time fined time period and spatial scale (location/cell, field, farm, and speriod and spatial scale (location/cell, field, farm, and subub--watershed/watershed)watershed/watershed)

imWEBsimWEBs OutputsOutputs

User interface:User interface: MapWindowMapWindow GIS / GIS / TauDEMTauDEM SQLiteSQLite databasedatabase Dynamic Data DisplayDynamic Data Display Visual BasicVisual Basic

Main Functions:Main Functions: Open a projectOpen a project Watershed delineationWatershed delineation Model setupModel setup Scenario developmentScenario development Model parameterization and database managementModel parameterization and database management Run a modelRun a model Result display and analysisResult display and analysis

imWEBsimWEBs InterfaceInterface

Screenshot 1: Screenshot 1: imWEBsimWEBs WorkflowWorkflow

Screenshot 2: Watershed Delineation Screenshot 2: Watershed Delineation and Model Setupand Model Setup

Screenshot 3: Setup a ProjectScreenshot 3: Setup a Project

Screenshot 4: Objective & MethodScreenshot 4: Objective & Method

Screenshot 5: Input & BMP SetupScreenshot 5: Input & BMP Setup

Screenshot 6: Output & Parameter SetupScreenshot 6: Output & Parameter Setup

Screenshot 7: BMP Scenarios DesignScreenshot 7: BMP Scenarios Design

Screenshot 8: Model Calibration and Screenshot 8: Model Calibration and Model OutputsModel Outputs

Screenshot 9: DisplayScreenshot 9: Display

Advantage of Advantage of imWEBsimWEBs Ability to provide spatial and temporal distribution of Ability to provide spatial and temporal distribution of

hydrologic and water quality effects of hydrologic and water quality effects of BMPsBMPs ((identifying identifying critical sources and timing)critical sources and timing)

Ability to evaluate single and multiple Ability to evaluate single and multiple BMPsBMPs at location, field, at location, field, farm, and watershed scales (farm, and watershed scales (evaluating placeevaluating place--based based BMPsBMPs))

Flexibility in defining model objectives and methods depending Flexibility in defining model objectives and methods depending on project objective, data availability, watershed on project objective, data availability, watershed characteristics, and output of interest (characteristics, and output of interest (adaptabilityadaptability))

Flexibility in designing and evaluating BMP scenariosFlexibility in designing and evaluating BMP scenarios

Fully use of spatial information and field measurement dataFully use of spatial information and field measurement data

Easy to Easy to integrate with economic and ecologic modelintegrate with economic and ecologic model

Contact InformationContact Information

Dr. Dr. WanhongWanhong Yang and Dr. Yang and Dr. YongboYongbo LiuLiuWatershed Evaluation GroupWatershed Evaluation GroupDepartment of GeographyDepartment of GeographyUniversity of GuelphUniversity of Guelph

Tel: 519Tel: 519--824824--4120 X 53090 or 526844120 X 53090 or 52684Fax: 519Fax: 519--837837--29402940Email: Email: wayang@uoguelph.cawayang@uoguelph.ca

lyongbo@uoguelph.calyongbo@uoguelph.ca