Willamette River Basin Temperature TMDL Model: Boundary Conditions and Model Setup

Authors

Robert Leslie Annear, Portland State University
Michael Lee McKillipFollow
Sher Jamal Khan
Chris Berger, Portland State UniversityFollow
Scott A. Wells, Portland State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Technical Report

Publication Date

1-2004

Subjects

Hydrology -- Oregon -- Willamette River, Water quality -- Oregon -- Williamette River, Streamflow -- Oregon -- Willamette River Watershed, Hydrologic models, Hydrodynamics -- Mathematical models

Abstract

The State of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is developing a TMDL for temperature in the Willamette River basin shown in Figure 1. The study area included the Willamette River and all major tributaries (except the Tualatin River where a TMDL process was already concluded). A large section of the Columbia River was also modeled to provide adequate boundary representation of tidal flows in the lower Willamette River. The Willamette River below the Oregon City Falls in the Portland metropolitan area has a typical diurnal tidal range of 1 m. The development of a dynamic model of temperature and hydrodynamics of the entire river basin incorporating shading were primary requirements of this modeling study. The model would be used by DEQ to set temperature limits on point source dischargers and to evaluate the impact of management strategies on river temperatures to improve fish habitat. Some of these strategies included modifications of the dam at the Willamette River Falls south of Portland and channel reconfigurations.

Once the models were set-up for each section of the Willamette basin, the model was calibrated to field data and management strategies were evaluated. These are the subjects of two other reports: Annear et al. (2004b) and Berger et al. (2004).

This report outlines the model development of each of these model sections or elements for both the calibration time periods and the management scenario time periods. The calibration period for each model section differs due to the availability of boundary condition data. The model simulation periods used to investigate management scenarios (Annear et al, 2004b) also required boundary condition data that extended past the calibration periods.

Description

Technical Report EWR-01-04

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/12163

Citation Details

Annear, R. L., M. L. McKillip, S. J. Khan, C. J. Berger, and S. A. Wells. Willamette River Basin temperature TMDL model—Boundary conditions and model setup: Portland, Oreg., Portland State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Technical Report EWR-01-04, 2004.