Hydrology Days

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https://hdl.handle.net/10217/200830

Each year the American Geophysical Union Hydrology Days meeting brings together water scientists, researchers and students to discuss the current state of the science and latest water-related research findings. This digital collection includes proceedings/papers from 2003 to 2018, and programs and abstracts from 2019 to current. Proceedings from 2019 to current are published in issues of Colorado Water.

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Open Access
2002 municipal response to drought in the Colorado Front Range
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2003) Kenney, Douglas, author; Klein, Roberta, author; Morrison, Adam, author; Colorado State University, publisher
As part of its ongoing efforts to analyze the vulnerability of water resources in Colorado's South Platte River Basin to the impacts of climate variability and regional growth, the Western Water Assessment examined the drought response of nine cities along the Front Range during the summer of 2002. Our hypothesis was that outdoor watering restrictions imposed in response to drought result in less water being consumed than would normally be expected, given climatic conditions and population growth. The study compared water use during summer of 2002 during restrictions to use in 2000 and 2001 when such restrictions were not in place. An additional goal was to compare cities to each other, identifying potential trends between different strategies and different levels of success. Results for each city are tabulated using a standardized methodology, allowing cross-city comparisons. The goal is to help municipal water managers assess and refine drought coping strategies.
Open Access
40th annual AGU hydrology days
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) American Geophysical Union, author; Colorado State University, author; Colorado State University, publisher
Includes the schedule and presentation abstracts only. The 40th Annual American Geophysical Union Hydrology Days meeting, held on April 13-14, 2020, provides a unique opportunity for students, faculty, staff and practitioners to engage in wide range of water-related interdisciplinary research topics. In addition to hydrologic systems, the event covers a broad range of water concerns, including agriculture and water rights, sustainability and conservation, climate change and urbanization, economics and policy. Hydrology Days' 40th anniversary builds on CSU legacy of excellence in water-related studies. Program includes abstracts of presentations.
Open Access
41st annual AGU hydrology days
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) American Geophysical Union, author; Colorado State University, author
Includes the schedule and presentation abstracts only. The 41st Annual American Geophysical Union Hydrology Days meeting held on March 30-31, 2021, provides a unique opportunity for students, faculty, staff and practitioners to engage in wide range of water-related interdisciplinary research topics. Unfortunately, the global pandemic has left students with limited opportunities to share their research and satisfy graduation requirements. This year the spotlight focused on students to highlight the interconnections of water and linked systems. The 2021 Student Showcase provides an opportunity for students to exchange ideas, present their research findings and refine their science communication skills.
Open Access
42nd annual AGU hydrology days
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2022) American Geophysical Union, author; Colorado State University, author
Includes the schedule and presentation abstracts only. The 42nd Annual American Geophysical Union Hydrology Days meeting held on April 25-27, 2022, provides a unique opportunity for students, faculty, staff and practitioners to engage in wide range of water-related interdisciplinary research topics.
Open Access
43rd annual AGU hydrology days
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) American Geophysical Union, author; Colorado State University, author; One Water Solutions Institute, author
Includes the schedule and presentation abstracts only. The 43rd Annual American Geophysical Union Hydrology Days meeting held on March 21-22, 2023 provides a unique opportunity for students, faculty, staff and practitioners to engage in wide range of water-related interdisciplinary research topics. The 2023 event lands on the United Nations' annual World Water Day (March 22) with an emphasis on accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis. In addition, building upon the University's Courageous Strategic Transformation we endeavor to broaden participation across campus as well as regional institutions. This year we encourage presentations from a wide variety of sessions designed to highlight the interconnections of water and linked systems. The Student Showcase will provide an opportunity for students to exchange ideas, present their research findings and refine their science communication skills. Select students will be invited to contribute to a special issue of Colorado Water! Students interested in entering the student competition must adhere to posted deadlines, register and submit an abstract to confirm their participation. Faculty, staff, practitioners and industry representatives are encouraged to attend the event and learn just how poised our students are to enter the workforce – take this opportunity to enhance the student experience and invest in the future! The spring meeting endeavors to expand our attendance beyond engineering and hydrology by engaging colleges across campus to holistically represent the far-reaching facets of water.
Open Access
44th annual AGU hydrology days
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024-04) Stout, Morgan, compiler; American Geophysical Union, author; Colorado State University, author; One Water Solutions Institute, author
Includes the schedule and presentation abstracts only. The 44th annual AGU Hydrology Days was an event with over 40 presentations and keynote addresses by Dr. Martha Anderson, USDA, and Dr. Christa Peters-Lidard, NASA. The topics of this year's Hydrology Days included ecohydrology, climate & meteorology, geoscience & groundwater, hydraulics & geomorphology, water, and hydrologic systems. There was also the annual showcase that allowed students from all disciplines to give 5-minute lightning presentations about a topic within one of those areas. Students were also given the unique opportunity to expand on their research and present a technical presentation.
Open Access
A conceptual framework for the use of machine learning for the synthesis of stream discharge - gage height rating curves
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Allen, Sarah M., author; Emerman, Steven H., author; Murdock, Thomas H., author; Tulley, Skyler K., author; Colorado State University, publisher
The objective of this research is to use machine learning for the synthesis of stream discharge – gage height rating curves from easily measurable hydrogeologic parameters. A machine learning algorithm would require as input a compilation of relevant hydrogeologic parameters for each gaging station. Since such a compilation does not yet exist, the first step has been to create a conceptual framework that identifies the relevant hydrogeologic parameters that would need to be compiled. Frequent reverse flow or flood waves preclude the existence of a rating curve (unique relationship between gage height and discharge). If a rating curve exists, then a stable channel has a power-law rating curve. Deviations from the power-law curve result from deposition (power-starvation) or scouring (sediment-starvation), which could occur at the high or low range of discharge or both. The eight types of deviation (including no deviation) from the power-law curve can be regarded as eight functional forms of rating curves, which can be represented as lines, parabolas or cubic polynomials on plots of the Z-scores of the logarithms of gage height and discharge. Rating curves can be classified into the eight types based on the hydrogeologic criteria of (1) stream slope (2) relative erodibility of the stream banks (3) distance to the nearest upstream and downstream confluences with relatively significant discharge. USGS gaging stations in Utah were chosen randomly until each of the eight types of rating curves was found. The first example of each type was shown to be consistent with the corresponding hydrogeologic criteria.
Open Access
A fully-automated apparatus for the determination of three types of hydraulic conductivity
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2008) Wietsma, T. W., author; Oostrom, M., author; Covert, M. A., author; Queen, T. E., author; Colorado State University, publisher
Knowledge of hydraulic properties, such as hydraulic conductivity and soil moisture retention, is crucial for understanding flow and contaminant transport in the subsurface. Hydraulic properties are often important input parameters for numerical simulation of flow and transport. Unfortunately, acquisition of these properties is usually time consuming and costly because of the manual labor associated with the currently available laboratory techniques. Lately, there has been increased interest in automating hydraulic conductivity laboratory techniques to reduce analysis time and improve data consistency. The newly designed fully automated Hydraulic Conductivity Apparatus (HCA), located in the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, provides enhanced capabilities. The HCA is unique in that it is able to determine hydraulic conductivity with the falling head, constant head, and constant flux methods in a fully automated fashion. This paper demonstrates the new apparatus and presents hydraulic conductivity data for standard laboratory sands.
Open Access
A generalized multiobjective particle swarm optimization solver for spreadsheet models: application to water quality
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2006) Baltar, Alexandre M., author; Fontane, Darrell G., author; Colorado State University, publisher
This paper presents an application of an evolutionary optimization algorithm for multiobjective analysis of selective withdrawal from a thermally stratified reservoir. A multiobjective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm is used to find nondominated (Pareto) solutions when minimizing deviations from outflow water quality targets of: (i) temperature; (ii) dissolved oxygen (DO); (iii) total dissolved solids (TDS); and (iv) potential of hydrogen (pH). The decision variables are the flows through each port in the selective withdrawal structure. The MOPSO algorithm, implemented as an add-in for Excel, is able to find nondominated solutions for any combination of the four abovementioned objectives. An interactive graphical method was also developed to display nondominated solutions in such way that the best compromise solutions can be identified for different relative importance given to each objective. The method allows the decision maker to explore the Pareto set and visualize not only the best compromise solution but also sets of solutions that provide similar compromises.
Open Access
A GIS tool to analyze forest road sediment production and stream impacts
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2006) Prasad, Ajay, author; Tarboton, David G., author; Luce, Charles H., author; Black, Thomas A., author; Colorado State University, publisher
A set of GIS tools has been developed (Road Sediment Analysis Model, RSAM) to analyze and quantify the impacts of forest roads on forested watersheds. RSAM is organized into three modules. In the first module sediment production for each road segment is calculated from slope, length, road surface condition and road side drain vegetation. A GPS gathered road condition inventory provides surface and drain conditions, locations of drain points, information on connectivity between drain points and streams, and information on road stream crossings. Slope is obtained from the GIS by overlaying the road path on a Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Road sediment production is accumulated at each drain point by adding the sediment production draining to each drain point from different road segments. These drain point sediment loadings are then coupled with a DEM model for surface flow and used as inputs to a weighted flow accumulation function to calculate sediment load inputs to stream segments, also delineated based on the DEM. An option allows accumulation of all sediment produced or only sediment produced from drain points inventoried as connected to the stream. The second module analyzes the impact of forest roads on terrain stability. Terrain stability is assessed by calculating the specific discharge due to road drainage and using this, together with slope, as inputs to an infinite plane slope stability model. In the final module the inventory information on the fish passage status of stream crossings is used to demarcate contiguous clusters of stream habitat and assess the impact of fish passage barriers on the fragmentation of stream habitat. A map showing possible fish habitat clusters is obtained from the analysis. To ensure referential integrity between road segments, drain points and the stream network attributes, and to validate the road inventory dataset a relational database model framework is used. Preprocessing software has been developed to load the road inventory data into this framework and fulfill initial quality control and data validation functions. The sediment production, terrain stability and habitat cluster contiguity analyses then works off data from the relational database.
Open Access
A long-term context for snow water equivalent trends in Rocky Mountain National Park
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Patterson, Glenn G., author; Fassnacht, Steven R., author; Colorado State University, publisher
The seasonal snowpack in Rocky Mountain National Park is critical to the local and downstream water supply and the ecosystem of the park, and is important for winter recreational opportunities. Recent regional studies of trends in observed snow water equivalent (SWE) over the past three and a half decades have illustrated that temperatures are rising. Snow accumulation is decreasing, averaging on the order of a 2 to 4 cm/decade decline with snowmelt tending to be earlier, averaging on the order of 2 to 4 days/decade sooner. To place these SWE trends observed over the past few decades into a longer-term context, multi-century SWE reconstructions were derived from tree-ring widths and examined to determine whether similar multi-decade trends have occurred in the past. Possible SWE trends were examined into the future using projections from the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project-Phase 5 (CMIP5) climate models linked to hydrologic models to identify models that best fit the observed data. From these model projections, possible SWE trends were estimated for the remainder of the 21st century. Results of the paleo-analysis suggest that similar multi-decade declining trends in SWE have occurred in the study area at certain times over the past four centuries. Results of the model projections suggest that recently observed trends (past 3+ decades) are likely to continue over the next eight or so decades.
Open Access
A physically based approach for the estimation of root-zone soil moisture from surface measurements: application on the AMMA database
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Manfreda, Salvatore, author; Fiorentino, Mauro, author; Samela, Caterina, author; Margiotta, Maria Rosaria, author; Brocca, Luca, author; Moramarco, Tommaso, author; Colorado State University, publisher
In the present work, we present an application of a new formulation for the estimation of the soil moisture in the root zone based on the measured value of soil moisture at the surface. The method has been recently proposed by Manfreda et al. (2012) with the aim to provide a mathematical relationship between surface and root zone soil moisture. It derives from a simplified form of the soil water balance equation and provides a closed form of the relationship between the root zone and the surface soil moisture with a limited number of physically consistent parameters. The approach was used to interpret soil moisture dynamics at the point scale using soil moisture measurements taken from the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA) database. These measurements form an excellent database with a significant number of measurements in time and space. Moreover, the measurements provide a detailed description of the soil moisture along the root-zone profile. According to this, we have used the surface soil moisture measurements at 5 cm depth to predict the soil moisture in the lower layer of the soil where the relative saturation is measured at various depths. The method provided good prediction of the averaged soil moisture in the root zone soil layer with the advantage that all parameters are physically consistent.
Open Access
A plan for conversion of stormwater to groundwater recharge on the Utah Valley University main campus, Orem, Utah
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Dastrup, Dylan B., author; Ferreira, Gabriela R., author; Zacharias, Daniel, author; Natter, Daniel H., author; Kellum, Lawrence T., author; Emerman, Steven H., author; Davis, Brandon B., author; Alexander, Michael R., author; Selck, Jeff, author; Colorado State University, publisher
At the present time the vast majority of the stormwater generated on the Main Campus of Utah Valley University is exported to Utah Lake, which is only 1.4 miles from campus. Although there is a large boulder-lined detention pond on campus, it is used only as a holding pond before the stormwater is exported. The objective of this study was to determine what percentage of the average annual stormwater and the stormwater generated by a 100-year 24-hour precipitation event could be retained on campus and used for groundwater recharge by constructing a series of French drains. It was determined that the Main Campus could be divided into 33 watersheds that currently export stormwater (72.8% of the surface area) and 28 additional self-contained watersheds. Using the NRCS Runoff Curve Method, it was determined that the Main Campus exports 0.4998 ac·ft of stormwater annually and would export 23.2969 ac·ft of stormwater following a 100-year 24-hour precipitation event, while the self-contained watersheds capture 0.0330 ac·ft annually and would capture 2.7913 ac·ft following a 100-year 24-hour event. The construction of nine French drains (including subsurface expansion of the existing detention pond with discontinuation of pumping) with a combined surface area of 0.9260 ac would convert to groundwater recharge 0.1402 ac·ft annually (28.1% of current export) and 6.2083 ac·ft following a 100-year 24-hour precipitation event (26.6% of current export). Further reduction of stormwater export could not be accomplished without disruption to current paved areas or other built infrastructure.
Open Access
A review of the 2003 water year in Colorado
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2004) Doesken, Nolan J., author; Gillespie, Michael A., author; Colorado State University, publisher
During water year 2003, Colorado remained in the grasp of a significant drought. Throughout the year drought conditions improved in portions of the state, while other areas experienced worsening drought conditions. Water year precipitation ranged from well below average across southwestern Colorado, to above average in north Central Colorado. Winter snowpack accumulations followed a similar pattern, and were dominated by a single March storm which brought 3 to 5 feet snow to northeastern Colorado. This storm provided most of the drought relief to the state by improving streamflow volumes to near average and allowing water managers to improve reservoir storage volumes. That state experienced a war and dry spring which produced a rapid snowmelt and high peak flows which were short lived. As summer developed streamflow volumes dropped back below average for the remainder of the year. While the 2003 water year brought improved water supplies to much of the state over those of 2002, drought impacts continue to be felt statewide. The water year ended with well below average reservoir storage in all basins of the state, with statewide volumes of 74% of average.
Open Access
A review of the 2004 water year in Colorado
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005) Doesken, Nolan J., author; Gillespie, Michael A., author; Colorado State University, publisher
Drought concerns prevailed throughout the 2004 water year, as streamflow and soil moisture still lagged behind average following the extreme drought of 2002. The winter months were drier than average over much of Colorado, especially over the northern and central mountains and eastern plains. March 2004 was particularly warm and dry. Fortunately, April precipitation was much above average in some of the areas of Colorado that needed it most. The summer months were unusually cool and damp east of the mountains. War and very dry conditions prevailed in western Colorado until a series of storms in September brought generous moisture to the mountains and western valleys. Overall, 2004 water year precipitation totals were near average for the state as a whole. Streamflow from mountain snowpack was below average, particularly in the Colorado River basin, but good summer precipitation and cooler temperatures stretched water supplies and resulted in a lessening of drought severity in many areas east of the mountains while essentially ending the drought in others.
Open Access
A strategy to conserve agricultural water use in Colorado's Front Range
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Varzi, Manijeh Mahmoudzadeh, author; Oad, Ramchand, author; Colorado State University, publisher
For the joint sustainability of agriculture and other economic sectors, agriculture water use will need to become more efficient and productive in the future. And, indeed, there are opportunities in the agriculture sector for water conservation by utilizing modern technology such as the drip irrigation and the practice of deficit irrigation. A collaborative research effort will be undertaken by the United Water and Sanitation District, the Platte River Water Development Authority, the 70 Ranch, Netafim, and the Colorado State University. The overall goal of the collaborative research is to generate knowledge for preserving the strong agricultural economy of the South Platte Valley in Eastern Colorado, while at the same time freeing up some water for other societal needs. This will be done by establishing a research/extension station in the region and conducting experimentation on more efficient irrigation technologies such as subsurface drip irrigation and deficit irrigation. The underlying premise is that by following such crop and water management practices, the farmers can increase their net economic returns. The planning horizon to achieve this long-term goal is about 15-20 years, but some practical answers to specific research questions should be available in early phases. This document briefly discusses a research proposal focused on the initial stage of the above study (first two years). The aim is to examine: (a) the feasibility of drip irrigation and (b) the effect of deficit irrigation on some of the drought resistant local crops in order to define the feasibility of deficit irrigation for farmers. Field work and data collection starts on summer 2015.
Open Access
A web-service tool to generate crop rotation management input files for spatially distributed agroecosystem models
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Kipka, Holm, author; David, Olaf, author; Lyon, Jim, author; Garcia, Luis A., author; Green, Timothy R., author; Ascough, James C., II, author; Rojas, Ken, author; Colorado State University, publisher
For water quality assessment, there are currently models available like the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), Agricultural Policy / Environmental eXtender (APEX) and the component-based AgroEcoSystem-Watershed (AgES-W). These models use similar conceptual components to simulate nutrient and chemical transport by water using spatially distributed ecosystem response units (ERUs) and require input data about agricultural management operations for each ERU. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is developing a Land Management and Operation Database (LMOD) which contains input data suitable as potential model input, but LMOD does not provide spatial functionality. A Java-based web-service tool, the Crop Rotation and Management Builder (CRMB), provides the missing spatial information for LMOD by using a spatially enabled data provider, the CropScape web service from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The NASS CropScape service offers a remote sensing based raster Crop Data Layer (CDL) for a specific year and a spatial Area of Interest (AOI). The ERUs are represented as a polygon in an ESRI shape file or as a list of point-coordinates (to shape a geometry) text file. CRMB queries the annual main crop information from the NASS CropScape web-service for available CDL years. After reclassifying crop information within each AOI to adjust the final crop area using NASS CropScape provided accuracy values, CRMB selects the crop information by majority area size. CRMB then detects a sequence of main crops for every AOI and year, matches the crop sequence to actual available crop rotation information in LMOD, and links the AOI to an actual crop rotation with all available management operation information. Finally, CRMB generates required management input files for the AgES-W model.
Open Access
Adapting subsurface drip irrigation system to deficit irrigation: proceedings of Hydrology days 2016
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Varzi, Manijeh Mahmoudzadeh, author; Oad, Ramchand, author; Colorado State University, publisher
Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is a type of drip irrigation with buried pipe lines so that water is applied directly to the root zone and under soil surface. SDI systems have high application efficiency but need high technology for installation and are, thus, costly. SDI is relatively new to Colorado and mainly used for vegetables. As a costly system its use is still limited. However, it is compatible with automation so that timing and volume of water application can be controlled with great precision. SDI provides a good opportunity in times of water scarcity when deficit irrigation is inevitable. Drought in a river basin increases the value of water and farmers can benefit from selling part of their water to municipal and industrial water users. The remaining water is normally not enough for fully irrigating the crops so this practice is called deficit irrigation. Reduced yield due to water deficit can be predicted using crop water production functions; however, it is essential to control water application precisely so that the predicted yield is guaranteed. This paper will explore the opportunities that SDI provides for practice of deficit irrigation.
Open Access
Aggregation scenarios to model water fluxes in watersheds with spatial changes in soil texture
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2003) Soria, Jose M., author; Leij, Feike J., author; Angulo-Jaramillo, Rafael, author; Fuentes, Carlos, author; Haverkamp, Randel, author; Parlange, J.-Yves, author; Colorado State University, publisher
Accurate knowledge of water fluxes in the vadose zone of watersheds is important for applications such as water resources management and climate forecasting. Most, if not all, largescale studies follow a pragmatic approach where simplifying assumptions have to be made regarding problem formulation and estimation of hydraulic properties. This study investigates simplifications in both regards to predict infiltration and evaporation fluxes near or at the surface for a generic, rectangular watershed consisting of sand and silt loam columns. The two-dimensional flow problem (reference scenario) as well as simplifying 1-D problems are solved with the finite-element method (FEM) for 1, 10, 100, and 1000 m widths of the flow domain and different proportions of the sand and silt loam soils. The hydraulic functions are estimated from soil texture. In the simplifying scenarios, the flow domain is either represented as an equivalent soil using a weighted particle-size distribution as previously applied in physico-empirical predictions of hydraulic properties (a priori aggregation) or as two parallel stream tubes with area-weighted contributions to the total flux (a posteriori aggregation). Substantial differences were found between the fluxes based on the "equivalent" and reference scenarios even though our approach was based on a most favorable situation where only a limited number of texturedependent hydraulic parameters were different. The "stream tube" scenario typically provided a good description of the flux according to the reference scenario except for infiltration in case of domains less than 10 m wide. No pronounced textural differences are likely to occur over such small distances and the stream tube model appears to be a viable method to describe near-surface fluxes in catchments with a spatially variable soil texture.
Open Access
AGU hydrology days 2012: program at a glance
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) American Geophysical Union, author; Colorado State University, author; Colorado State University, publisher
Conference program for the 2012 AGU Hydrology Days held at Colorado State University on March 21 - March 23, 2012.