Implementation of channel-routing routines in the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model

Abstract

The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model is a process-based, continuous-simulation, watershed hydrology and erosion model. It is an important tool for water erosion simulation owing to its unique functionality in representing diverse landuse and management conditions. Its applicability is limited to relatively small watersheds since its current version does not simulate flow in permanent channels. In this study we developed a channel-routing module to simulate water flow in a permanent channel network. The module can utilize two methods: numerical kinematic-wave method and Muskingum-Cunge method. Results showed that, for appropriate temporal and spatial discretizations, both numerical solutions compared well with analytical solution of kinematic wave equations for simplified cases; otherwise, numerical dissipation from the kinematic wave solution, and numerical dispersion from the Muskingum-Cunge solution would occur.

Water quality and forest restoration in the Lake Tahoe basin: impacts of future management options

“…Within the last decade, major improvements to the model have made it applicable to larger forested watersheds (Covert et al 2005, Zhang et al 2009, Wang et al 2010, Srivastava et al 2013, Brooks et al 2016, which further extended its applicability to forest management applications (Srivastava et al 2018(Srivastava et al , 2020 and wildfire (Miller et al 2011(Miller et al , 2022.…”

Designing tools to predict and mitigate impacts on water quality following the Australian 2019/2020 wildfires: Insights from Sydney's largest water supply catchment

“…It predicts the probability of both ash and soil, and the potential pollutants in them, to be delivered from burned hillslopes into stream channels and water bodies. The WEPPcloud-WATAR tool is powered by the well-established Water Erosion Prediction Project, WEPP, model (Laflen et al, 1997), enhanced with the incorporation of channel hydrology and sediment routing routines (Wang et al, 2010(Wang et al, , 2014. Its main advantage over other widely used erosion models such as USLE (Wischmeier & Smith, 1978), RUSLE (Renard et al, 1997), MMF (Morgan, 2001), SWAT (Neitsch et al, 2011), KINEROS2 (Smith et al, 1995), or PESERA (Kirkby et al, 2008) is that it can simulate transport not only of soil, but also of ash and pollutants contained in them, from the hillslopes.…”

Watershed Management 2015

“…Baseflow was simulated using a linear reservoir approach as a post-processing step from cumulative deep percolation losses from all hillslopes in the watershed. The most recent addition of channel routing algorithms to WEPP allows simulations of streamflow from watersheds with perennial flows (Wang et al, 2010). Incorporating a groundwater baseflow component in WEPP is necessary for applying WEPP to large watersheds where there is a significant contribution of groundwater baseflow to streamflow.…”

“…The WEPP v2012.8 has three channel-routing methods: linear kinematic-wave, constant-parameter Muskingum-Cunge, and modified three-point variable parameter Muskingum-Cunge that are appropriate for large watersheds (Wang et al, 2010). For this study, we chose the linear kinematic-wave method, which is suitable for steep and long channels (Wang et al, 2010).…”

“…For this study, we chose the linear kinematic-wave method, which is suitable for steep and long channels (Wang et al, 2010).…”