Janey V. Camp

Watershed Modeling and its Applications: A State-of-the-Art Review

Advances in the understanding of physical, chemical, and biological processes influencing water quality, cou- pled with improvements in the collection and analysis of hydrologic data, provide opportunities for significant innovations in the manner and level with which watershed-scale processes may be explored and modeled. This paper provides a re- view of current trends in watershed modeling, including use of stochastic-based methods, distributed versus lumped pa- rameter techniques, influence of data resolution and scalar issues, and the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) as part of a data-driven approach to assist in watershed modeling efforts. Important findings and observed trends from this work include (i) use of AI techniques artificial neural networks (ANN), fuzzy logic (FL), and genetic algorithms (GA) to im- prove upon or replace traditional physically-based techniques which tend to be computationally expensive; (ii) limitations in scale-up of hydrological processes for watershed modeling; and (iii) the impacts of data resolution on watershed model- ing capabilities. In addition, detailed discussions of individual watershed models and modeling systems with their fea- tures, limitations, and example applications are presented to demonstrate the wide variety of systems currently available for watershed management at multiple scales. A summary of these discussions is presented in tabular format for use by water resource managers and decision makers as a screening tool for selecting a watershed model for a specific purpose.

Adaptation planning for floods: a review of available tools

Communities have competing priorities for limited financial resources. Identifying a capable and affordable tool that can be used in flood adaptation planning will assist in determining strategic investments and enhancing public communication. A state-of-the-art review was conducted of commonly available flood modeling and impact assessment tools that could be utilized for climate adaptation planning by municipalities. Assessment criteria such as flood modeling capabilities, geographic information system integration, damage assessment functions and ease of use were used. Although there are many tools available, based on the criteria used in assessing these models, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazus-MH tool appears to hold the most promise in being repurposed for adaptation planning.

Climate Change and Freight-Transportation Infrastructure: Current Challenges for Adaptation

AbstractThe transportation system infrastructure in the United States is vital to sustaining the nation’s economy, safety, and well-being. In its recent special report, Potential Impacts of Climate Change on U.S. Transportation, the National Research Council concluded that climate change will have significant impacts on transportation systems, affecting design, construction, operation, and maintenance. Furthermore, the report calls for a focus on the problem now through adaptation planning to avoid costly future investments and disruptions to operations. This begins with sharing information, resources, best practices, and lessons learned across jurisdictional lines and among different stakeholders. With this in mind, a select group of stakeholders representing the freight-transportation industry and climate science participated in a summit held at Vanderbilt University in 2011, to reach consensus on the needs and challenges that must be addressed in order for successful adaptation strategies to emerge. Th...

Scale and Resolution Considerations in the Application of HAZUS-MH 2.1 to Flood Risk Assessments

AbstractThis study examines a tool developed by the U.S. FEMA for performing earthquake, hurricane, and flood hazard modeling and damage assessment. The focus of this research was to compare the native flood modeling and damage assessment functionalities of this tool with the May 2010 floods that impacted Davidson County (Nashville), Tennessee. Flood scenarios were created at the county and subcounty levels by using 1 and 1/3u2009u2009arc-second digital elevation models and 100, 500, and 1,000xa0year flood return periods. The predicted flood surface area and damage levels were compared to observed flooding and damage from the 2010 floods. At the county level, the software was useful in predicting 87% of flood surface area and in identifying areas of damage, but its predictive value was limited at the subcounty level. These findings indicate that this predictive tool can be used primarily for large, county-level estimations as a screening tool to identify high impact areas that may require further analysis using mor...

Monitoring advanced oxidation of Suwannee River fulvic acid

Environmental context.Potentially toxic disinfection by-products form when water containing humic and fulvic acids is chlorinated to destroy pathogenic microorganisms. A pulsed electrical discharge was examined for its ability to destroy an aquatic fulvic acid by oxidation. Spectroscopically, changes in the organic structures were observed, but carbon content and disinfection by-products were not reduced. Abstract.A pilot-scale pulsed electrical discharge (PED) system was used to treat Suwannee River fulvic acid (SRFA) as a representative precursor material for the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs), specifically trihalomethane compounds. Ultraviolet-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and the trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) were used as analytical parameters to monitor the effects of treatment on the substrate. The potential for SRFA degradation (5 mg L–1 DOC) was examined over 60 min at each of four operational configurations, varying pulse energy and frequency (0.15 J and 60 Hz, 0.15 J and 120 Hz, 0.4 J and 60 Hz, and 0.4 J and 120 Hz) in a factorial design. Statistically significant changes occurred for UV254, EX254EM460, and EX328EM460 under selected conditions; however, concomitant changes in DOC and THMFP were not observed. The composition of SRFA changed, but organic carbon was not mineralised to carbon dioxide. In addition to showing degradation by PED, the significance of the preliminary findings of this research was to demonstrate that spectroscopic monitoring of precursor degradation alone can be misleading, and that whereas ultraviolet-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy indicated degradation of precursor compounds, DOC and THMFP measurements were unchanged and did not support the occurrence of mineralisation in this system.

Inland waterway resource and spill management needs in Southeastern USA

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the issues faced by managers of inland waterways in the Southeastern USA as a guide for improvements to spill management information systems.Design/methodology/approach – A survey was administered to a group of over 300 professionals representing multiple organizations involved in water quality management and/or spill response in the Southeast region of the USA to query their perceptions on leading demands and issues faced in management of inland waterways both on a daily basis and during spill response efforts.Findings – Survey results indicated that communication is often the “weak link” in both water management and spill response activities, and that enhanced spill management information tools could serve as a valuable resource in addressing this problem. Display of spatial/visual information was deemed to be especially important to spill response personnel and should be included in the next generation of spill response systems.Research limitations/impli...

Agent-Based Model of Navigable Inland Waterway Tow Operation Procedures

Transportation modeling within the context of extreme weather events induced by climate change is critical to understand and improve the resilience of transport systems as the world moves further into the 21st century. Among transportation modes, navigable inland waterways in particular face severe challenges to their future reliability as a result of extreme weather events. The economic implications of inland waterway operational efficiencies on commercial shipping have been studied in detail for several decades. Less well understood, however, are the effects of tow operation procedures enacted during adverse river conditions that have resulted from extreme weather events. This paper describes a model of a waterway segment that simulates stakeholder decision making and tow operator behavior to provide stakeholders with insights into the possible benefits of waterway action plans as operational guidance documents. Simulations run for a test area of the navigable inland waterway system indicated that operational procedures recommended in waterway action plans might have a significant impact on waterway operational efficiencies, which suggests that the model may be a useful decision-support tool for waterway stakeholders.

Structuring an Enterprise Risk Assessment Protocol: Traditional Practice and New Methods

In a world that has become increasingly complex, enterprise risk management (ERM) has emerged as a practice for identifying reasonably foreseeable hazards that pose risks to an organization, both its physical and human assets. Due to the breadth and depth of factors that can impact an organizations risk portfolio, it is incumbent that the underlying risk assessment process that supports ERM embodies a holistic and systematic approach. This is easier said than done, however, as much of the effort in self-acclaimed ERM programs remain entrenched in compartmentalized parts of the organization or ignore threats that are “outside of the box” of the operating environment to which management is accustomed. This environment therefore creates opportunities for key risks to go unnoticed. The authors propose a comprehensive, yet flexible framework for overcoming this challenge, an approach that can be utilized by both the public and private sector. A sample application is provided, using a free, web-based tool developed as part of the initiative.

A screening method for bridge scour estimation and flood adaptation planning utilizing HAZUS-MH 2.1 and HEC-18

The American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2013 Report Card for the Nation’s Infrastructure indicated that over 10xa0% of the roughly 670,000 bridges in the USA are structurally deficient with a

Participatory simulations of urban flooding for learning and decision support

120 billion investment over the next 15xa0years required for mitigation. In addition, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that the frequency of severe precipitation events is increasing as well as associated flooding. These factors coupled with scour as a leading cause of bridge degradation demonstrate a need to develop screening methods for assessing and prioritizing bridges most deserving of adaptation measures. This paper proposes a method for utilizing FEMA’s HAZUS-MH software along with the United States Department of Transportation’s Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 scour equations to predict the relative scour impact for a bridge to assist in adaptation prioritization. The estimation method develops a scour factor for a bridge using contraction, pier and abutment scour estimates for a base-year and future-year flood event. The scour factor is then used in conjunction with estimated bridge replacement cost to predict monetary damages for a future flood event. The method was validated using repair cost data for eight bridges located in Davidson County (Nashville), Tennessee, from a severe flooding event in May 2010. An extended case study application was also conducted by applying the methodology to a set of flood-prone bridges in the Little Rock, Arkansas area. The results of this research suggest that the proposed methodology may offer municipalities a useful screening tool for prioritizing bridges for adaptation planning.