Table of Contents

Goals of the Exercise
Computer and Data Requirements
Watershed Delineation Tutorial
NPSM Tutorial
Getting Started
Watershed Delineation
Using NPSM
Appendix

Goals of the Exercise 

This exercise is structured after the EPA BASINS Training Workshop for BASINS2 training. 

This exercise will familiarize the user with the tools available in BASINS. The first two parts of the exercise use the tutorial included with the BASINS CD-ROM. The tutorial shows how the delineation tool and NPSM model works. The following exercise will walk you through the delineation of Onion Creek in Texas. The final exercise will run the NPSM model on the Onion Creek Watershed. For your reference, Onion Creek is a tributary of the Colorado River which is located in the south end of Austin, TX. The objective of the model is to determine the overland flow and fecal coliform contributions to Onion Creek from the watershed. The general goals of using the NPSM model is to perform hydrologic and water quality simulations. 

Computer and Data Requirements

 ArcView 3.0a and BASINS2 software are needed for the exercise. The data needed for the exercise is included in the Basins directory on the C:\ drive of the computer. It is also downloadable from the EPA Internet Site: http://www.epa.gov/OST/BASINS/.

 Three computers in the last row of room 3.400 in the LRC are setup with ArcView 3.0a and BASINS2. There is also one computer set up in room 3.402 in the LRC and one computer at CRWR. If you would like the software installed on your computer at home, the BASINS software is downloadable through the EPA Internet site (http:\www.epa.gov/OST/BASINS).

The computer requirements needed to run the BASINS software are listed below:

If you are running WindowsNT you will need a special build.apr file in order to run the system.

 Watershed Delineation Tutorial

Using the Windows Start button, click on the Programs icon which will lead you to the Windows NT Explorer program. Click on the Windows NT Explorer icon. Click on the C: drive icon. Click on the Basins folder. Click on the Tutorial folder. Click on the Tutor icon. Click on the Delineate a Watershed button. Watch the show. Click on the Exit button when you are finished unless you are going directly on to the NPSM tutorial. In that case, go directly to the ** in the next section.

NPSM Tutorial

Using the Windows Start button, click on the Programs icon which will lead you to the Windows NT Explorer program. Click on the Windows NT Explorer icon. Click on the C: drive icon. Click on the Basins folder. Click on the Tutorial folder. Click on the Tutor icon. **Click on the Run NPSM Model button. Watch the show. Click on the Exit button when you are finished

Getting Started

Using the Windows Start button, click on the Programs icon which will lead you to the Basins program. Click on the Basins icon. Open the project called texas.apr.

In order to get the texas.apr project, a data extraction must be done along with the build program. These two process are explained in the BASINS users manual. They are not discussed in this exercise due the time involved.

** Immediately save the project to a directory of your own with a unique name.**

The BASINS program saves to its own folder as the default. This means that other people have access to your files which are created while you work. You will not have the option to save most of your data files else where, but you will have the option to save your project to where you want it. This will partially secure your project as you own. The reason for this is because the version of BASINS that we are using is still in Beta format and some of the bugs have not been worked out.

Watershed Delineation

The major steps required for watershed delineation consist of the following:

• Select the cataloging unit in which delineation will be performed
• Declare a watershed name
• Create the outline for the watershed using the cursor and a point-and-click routine.

 To begin the Watershed Delineation: (You may want to take note of the questions you need to answer before you start.) 

1. Activate the Basins View.
2. Display and activate the Cataloging Unit Boundary theme by clicking the box and the name of the theme.
3. Use the query builder in the Theme menu to locate Cataloging Unit (CU) # 12090205. Zoom to the selected features using this button .
4. Unselect the Cataloging Unit once it has been located by using the "Clear Selected Feature" tool .
5. Display and activate the Reach File, V1 theme.
6. Use the query builder to locate Onion Creek (Pname is the field). Zoom in closer to the selected features while making sure you can still see part of the east and west boundaries of the CU.
7. Unselect Line Creek.
8. Select CU # 12090205 by activating the theme and using the Select Feature tool (The watershed delineation will be performed within this cataloging unit�s boundaries).
9. Depress the watershed delineation button (denoted by a "W") to create a name for the watershed being delineated.
10. Use yourname.shp as the name. Remember to save it in a directory of your own.

NOTE: your soon-to-be created watershed name is listed at the top of the themes list. Also, a dashed box appears around the checked box next to the new watershed�s theme name. This dashed box notifies you that your watershed is in "editing" mode. To create the watershed outline, the watershed must be in "editing" mode. If you are not in "editing" mode, simply depress "W" again.

11. Begin to create the outline for the watershed at CU # 12090250's boundary by clicking the mouse. (Be sure to click at a point just outside of the CU boundary. I recommend using the west, east and southern boundaries of the CU be used and you only create the north boundary of the new watershed. Another point of interest, is to not include any of the Colorado River in the watershed you are delineating. This will cause problems when trying to run the NPSM module.)
12. Complete one segment of the outline by moving the cursor, hereby drawing a segment, and clicking the mouse a second time.
13. Repeat this point-and-click process until the entire watershed outline is developed. Best results are produced by an "out-and-back" procedure, i.e. delineate in the direction of the tributary�s mouth (on one side of the tributary) and return to the CU boundary (on the other side of the tributary).
14. Finish the watershed outline at the same CU boundary you started from, by double-clicking the mouse outside of the CU..
15. Once the watershed has been delineated successfully, it is represented by a visible outline.
16. When prompted to continue subwatershed delineation, select NO. YES would be selected if multiple subwatersheds were to be delineated.

 NOTE: It is likely that the watershed outline you delineated does not follow the actual boundary of the watershed too well. As a consequence, it may be necessary to clean the initial delineation. Be sure the yourname.shp theme is active, and click on the BASINS cleaning tool (denoted by a "C"). Create a box enclosing a segment of the delineated watershed�s outline. Click YES to delete the line. Once the line has been deleted, the previously-delineated watershed disappears. When prompted to continue cleaning, click NO. Re-delineate the watershed as described in previous steps. When you are prompted to export watersheds, select NO. This saves your new delineation to the .shp file already created for your watershed (yourname.shp). Selecting YES would enable you to create an additional .shp file for the re-delineated watershed (under a different name).

After successfully delineating the watershed for Onion Creek, locate the weather station in closest proximity to the delineated watershed. Weather stations are represented by the WDM Weather Stations theme. You may have to zoom out to find the WMD nearest to Onion creek.

Answer the following questions:

1. Turn in a picture of the watershed you delineated.
2. What is the name of the closest weather station? (Use the identify tool)_____________

(Be sure to take note of its name, as it will be used for NPSM modeling.)

3. What is the total area of the watershed?(Use the identify tool - area is m²)?________
4. What are the types of land uses found in the watershed?_______________

Using NPSM

The following steps are performed within the NPSM interface and are required for an NPSM simulation:

•  Load watershed and reach data. (Landuse, reach, and point source data for the watershed must be loaded into the NPSM interface to perform a simulation.)
• Edit reach information. (Missing reach data imported from BASINS must be updated.)
• Assign meteorological data to the watershed and select a simulation period. (A WDM file containing meteorological time series data for multiple weather stations must be selected. Weather station(s) must be assigned for each watershed being modeled. A simulation period needs to be designated. This period must fall within the time period of data contained in the WDM file.)
• Edit landuse data. (Landuses have already been divided into PERLNDs and IMPLNDs based on the previously assigned. Percent perviousness (PERLND and IMPLND) areas can be changed if necessary.)
• Select NPSM modules. (NPSM modules must be selected for the simulation. These modules simulate separate processes, for example: overland hydrology (PWATER for pervious land units and IWATER for impervious land units), flow routing (HYDR), sediment processes (SEDMNT for pervious land units, SOLIDS for impervious land units, and SEDTRN for sediment transport in reaches).
• Select pollutants to model. (Once NPSM modules required for simulating quality processes have been designated, it is necessary to select pollutants to simulate.)
• Edit point source data. (Point source data imported from BASINS can be edited. Additional point sources can be added and existing point sources can be removed.)
• Load a default data set (Parameter values for landuses, reaches, and pollutants are saved in a default data set. Selection of a default file is required. Once the file containing parameter values is selected, the data must be loaded. That is, appropriate parameter values for PERLND and IMPLND landuses, reaches, and pollutants in the default data set must be assigned to those being modeled.)
• Edit NPSM parameters. (Parameter values loaded from a default set can be edited for the simulation being performed. Parameters not included in the default set can also be assigned values. This step is important for model calibration.)
• Run the model and view output.

 To run the NPSM model: (You may want to take note of the questions you need to answer before you start.)

1. Activate the Basins View.
2. Add in the shape file called onion.shp from the directory c:\basins\modelout using the Add Theme tool.
3. Activate the NPSM Data Loading Window, and highlight the BASINS Watershed option. Click OK.

NOTE: This will be similar to the watershed you delineated in the previous section. However, to make everyone and everything consistent, we will all use the same watershed. As you can tell, the delineation tool is a downfall to the BASINS program because of its independence of the elevation of the land. It is possible to run the NPSM model using the entire cataloging unit, however we have limited data and time. There are also tools that can be used to delineate the watershed using digital elevation data. The watershed could then be imported into the BASINS program as we just did.

4. Activate the Onion Creek Watershed by using the Select Feature tool .
5. Run NPSM from the MODEL menu and save the model run as yourname. This will create a directory in c:\basins\modelout in which all of the model output will be saved.
6. When prompted to View/Modify the default % perviousness, select YES. These values will be applied to the watershed being modeled.
7. Change the percent pervious value to 100% pervious for the Unclassified landuse from 0%.
8. Select 1993 as the discharge year for point source loading.
9. Look at the BASINS views produced while preparing the data for the NPSM model. This appears an instant before the NPSM interface appears. You will have to make the BASINS interface active to view the output.
10. Once the NPSM interface screen appears, create a new project by selecting the button on the far left side of the toolbar .
11. Choose the yourname.wsd file, in order to load data for the selected watershed into your new project.
12. When the "Trapezoidal Import Data Review" window appears, change the slope value from -9999.0000 to 0.0018 (be sure to press the enter key after typing in this value).

 Discussion of this information will follow in an appendix.

13. Select the REACH EDITOR button (denoted by a stream network ), and select the REACH CHARACTERISTICS button from the list of selections.
14. Check to make sure there are no -9999.00 00 values in any of the fields. Use your engineering judgment to change the values, if needed.

 Again, discussion of information in these tables will follow in an appendix.

15. Click OK and then DONE when finished editing the reach information.
16. Select the SIMULATION TIME button .
17. Select the reg06.wdm file containing meteorological data for the state of Texas by depressing the browse button, denoted by "�".
18. Enter a simulation time period of 01/01/1980 (00) - 12/31/1983 (24).
19. Assign the weather station closest to Onion Creek to the watershed being modeled using the pulldown menu.
20. In the Unselected Watershed Box, double click on Onion Cr to select it.
21. Click OK.
22. Select the LANDUSE EDITOR button .

NOTE: The table lists all PERLND and IMPLND segments and their respective areas, as they will be represented by the model. Values in this table were transferred directly from the watershed delineated for Onion Creek.

NOTE 2: Changes can be made to landuse areas if necessary. Click OK when finished.

23. Select the NPSM CONTROL CARDS button . This section displays the names of all NPSM modules.
24. Activate the ATMP, PWATER, and PQUAL modules for Pervious land.
25. For Impervious land segments, select ATMP, IWATER and IQUAL.
26. Also select the HYDR, ADCALC, and GQUAL modules for the Reaches.

NOTE: These modules are necessary for performing hydrologic and water quality functions.

27. Click OK and Close when finished.
28. Then depress the POLLUTANT SELECTION button, , and select "Fecal Coliform, #/100ml" from the pollutant list as the pollutant for water quality simulation.
29. In the Pollutant List, highlight the pollutant Fecal Coliform, #/100ml.
30. Click the Left Arrow button. Click OK.
31. Since there are no point sources in the watershed, the point source button, , will not be needed.
32. Depress the DEFAULT DATA ASSIGNMENT button .
33. Browse for available default files by clicking on the "�" button, and choose the initial.def default data file.
34. Depress the LOAD ALL button to load all data available in the default file into your present simulation.

NOTE: This action essentially checks to see if any default data for landuses in your watershed are contained in the default data set (by comparing landuse names). If any data exists in the default file for your landuse types, it is automatically assigned to your landuses. If any landuses are not assigned data from the default file (i.e. if data for a particular landuse is not available in the default data set), a warning will appear. In this situation, it is necessary to manually assign data from a similar landuse or reach (in the default set) to the landuse or reach being modeled. Use the Right Arrow button to perform this function. A problem I found with the initial.def is that there is no data for pollutants other than nitrate, ammonium and fecal coliforms. Also, the default.def file is outdated.

NOTE 2: that reach information from the default data set is automatically assigned to reaches being modeled. This is independent of the reach name.

35. Assign the Pasture Land default data to the unassigned landuse by highlighting Pasture Land in the "Available Data" list and highlighting Range Land in the "Actual Land Unit" list.
36. Then click the ASSIGN TO button.

NOTE: Rangeland then appears in the "Assigned Land Units" list with the automatically-assigned landuses (Forest Land, Agricultural Land, and Urban Land).

NOTE2: The manual assigning you just performed was only for the pervious land units, because the "Pervious Land" radial button is selected. Also select the "Impervious Land" and "Reach" radial buttons to be sure default data has been assigned for all impervious land units and reaches.

37. Also, depress the POLLUTANT ASSIGNMENT button and be sure that Fecal Coliform has been assigned default values.
38. Click CLOSE when you are done.
39. Select the INPUT DATA EDITOR button (denoted by a calculator ).
40. PERLND, IMPLND, and RCHRES module names are initially visible.

READ APPENDIX!! The data groups and their sub-groups are set up in a tree-like structure. Double-clicking on a module name results in the listing of data groups within the module. Double-clicking on a data group name results in the listing of additional data groups within the chosen data group, or a listing of parameters associated with the data group. Actual parameter names are not denoted with a "+" symbol. Explanation of all the parameters are located in the appendix. 

41. Depress the "Run" button, , to run the model. You will be prompted to save the file. Save the project as yourname.prj.
42. Choose to View Output after running the simulation. The View Output option is divided into separate sections for:
PERLND
IMPLND
RCHRES
43. First, view the flow contribution from the Agricultural Landuse.
44. Do so by highlighting it in the section listing "Pervious Lands" and select VIEW.

 ***If you can't get the NPSM model to view your output in the notepad. Open the output files in Word or Notepad. The following are the files you will need to look at:

Pervious cover:

Impervious Cover:

Reach Output:

 Answer the following question:

1. What was the selected watershed ID #?_________________
2. What was the default % perviousness for Urban or Built-up Land?__________
3. For what time span was meteorological data available in the reg06.wdm file?_______
4. Which landuse accounts for the largest area in the watershed?_________
5. What is the total area of the watershed?____________________
6. How does this compare to the watershed area found while in the GIS portion of BASINS?___________________
7. What landuse is not accounted for in the default data set?______________

In the Input data editor:

8. What modules are selected for the IMPLND section?_____________
9. Do these modules match the ones selected in the NPSM Control Cards section?____

NOTE: You must exit the Input Data Editor window and return to the NPSM Control Cards window to perform this action.

10. How many parameters are associated with the PWAT-PARM3 data sub-group, within the PWATER data group of the PERLND module?
11. Is the interception storage capacity for PERLND represented by a constant or monthly varying values? _____________

Hint: the -PARM1 section of each data group generally offers the user the opportunity to change parameters from constant to monthly.

12. Is the interflow inflow parameter represented by constant or monthly varying values?______________
13. What are the units for each of these cloumns of output?___________

NOTE: The beginning of this text file lists information about the data. (Recall that the pollutant is fecal coliform bacteria).

14. What is the fecal coliform loading contribution from the Agricultural landuse on May 13, 1983?___________________
15. How does this compare to each of the other pervious landuse fecal coliform loading values for the same day?(List their values)________________________

APPENDIX

PERLND Default Data

• First, data sections and their associated parameters are listed. Parameters which need special attention during either initial simulations of a watershed or during calibration are signified with a bold display. This first list does not provide parameter definitions, however, it gives an initial glance at the some of the most important parameters and when they need to be addressed.
• Following this first list of data is a table which provides a brief description of each parameter, HSPF default, minimum and maximum values, as well as suggested starting parameter values for NPS modeling of flow and fecal coliform bacteria. The parameter values listed were developed from a first-cut calibration of a watershed delineated for the Snake Creek (CU # 03130002) in Georgia. The values are a good starting point for calibration of similar watersheds in other locations. They are not, however, a substitute for data from existing studies or an in-depth analysis and calibration of watersheds being analyzed.
• You will also want to download the EPA usersmanual to get a better feel for the parameters used. The chart they have in the users manual is in a .pdf format and could not be copied for this exercise which is in .html format. 

NOTE: The active modules of PERLND segments for hydrologic and general water quality simulation are:

• ATMP
• PWATER
• PQUAL

 ATMP parameters:

ATEMP-DAT - Temperature information

• ELDAT - varies for different geographic locations, and must be addressed whenever the model is run on a new watershed.
• AIRTMP - varies for different geographic locations, and must be addressed whenever the model is run on a new watershed.

PWATER parameters:

 PWAT-PARM2 - Surface and subsurface characteristics

• FOREST
• LZSN - varies based on soil characteristics, calibration parameter
• INFILT - varies based on soil characteristics, calibration parameter
• LSUR - varies for different watersheds, calibration parameter
• SLSUR - varies for different geographic locations???KVARY
• AGWRC

PWAT-PARM3 - Subsurface and atmospheric information

• PETMAX
• PETMIN
• INFEXP
• INFILD
• DEEPFR - varies based on subsurface characteristics, calibration parameter
• BASETP
• AGWETP

PWAT-PARM4 - Surface and subsurface characteristics

• CEPSC - dependent upon land cover, calibration parameter
• UZSN - varies based on soil properties, calibration parameter
• NSUR - varies by landuse
• INTFW - varies based on soil properties, calibration parameter
• IRC - varies based on soil properties, calibration parameter
• LZETP - varies based on soil properties and land cover, calibration parameter

PWAT-STATE1 - Initial conditions

• CEPS
• SURS
• UZS
• IFWS
• LZS
• AGWS
• GWVS

 PQUAL parameters:

QUAL-INPUT - Pollutant buildup information

• SQO
• ACQOP - varies for each pollutant and for each landuse, calibration parameter
• SQOLIM - varies for each pollutant and each landuse, calibration parameter
• WSQOP - varies for each pollutant and each landuse, calibration parameter
• IOQC - varies based on soil properties and landuse, calibration parameter
• AOQC - varies based on subsurface properties, calibration parameter

 IMPLND Default Data

 Parameters are displayed for the IMPLND module in the same manner as for PERLND.

 NOTE: The active modules of PERLND segments for hydrologic and general water quality simulation are:

• ATMP
• IWATER
• IQUAL

 ATMP parameters:

 Same as PERLND

IWATER parameters:

IWAT-PARM2 - Surface characteristics

• LSUR - varies by watershed, calibration parameter
• SLSUR - varies by geographic location, calibration parameter
• NSUR - varies by landuse, calibration parameter
• RETSC - varies based on land cover, calibration parameter

IWAT-PARM3 - Atmospheric information

• PETMAX
• PETMIN

IWAT-STATE1 - Surface characteristics

• RETS
• SURS

IQUAL parameters:

QUAL-INPUT - Pollutant buildup information

• SQO
• ACQOP - varies for different pollutants and landuses, calibration parameter
• SQOLIM - varies for different pollutants and landuses, calibration parameter
• WSQOP - varies for different pollutants and landuses, calibration parameter

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