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Relating Surface Water Nutrients in the Pacific Northwest to
Watershed Attributes Using the USGS SPARROW Model
Daniel Wise, HydrologistUS Geological SurveyPortland, OR
USGS SPARROW Model
• SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes.
• SPARROW is a powerful tool for informing water-quality management decisions.
SPARROW Model Description
• SPARROW relates water-quality measurements to watershed characteristics, including contaminant sources and factors influencing terrestrial and stream transport.
• The model uses a process-based mass balance of load in combination with a spatially explicit nonlinear multiple regression on watershed attributes.
SPARROW Model Description
Point Sources
Delivery to Waterways
Instream Processing
Landscape Loading
Export
SettlingBiological Uptake
Overland FlowSubsurface Flow
SPARROW is Process-Based
Nonpoint Sources
SPARROW Model Description
SPARROWWater-quality monitoring data
Regional geospatial data
Region-wide water quality interpretation and predictions
Hydrologic network data
SPARROW is Spatially Explicit
SPARROW Model Description
SPARROW is Spatially Explicit
SPARROW Model DescriptionThe fundamental componentof the SPARROW model isthe stream reach and itsassociated incrementalcatchment.
Reaches begin at all streamconfluences and at thelocations of calibrationsites
An incremental catchment is the area that drains directlyto a reach without passingthrough another reach
SPARROW Model Description
Detailed predictions made for every stream reach:
1) Mean annual load (kg/yr)
2) Mean annual conc. (mg/L)
3) Source contribution to load
SPARROW Model Description
Pacific Nortwest12,039 individual reachesand associated incrementalcatchments
Willamette River Basin755 individual reaches andassociated incrementalcatchments
U.S.G.S. SPARROW Nutrient Models
PNW Study Area
Using SPARROW to Model Surface-Water Nutrients
Sources of Nutrients
Nutrient loading to the land
Background Sources
Sources of Nutrients
Nutrient loading to the land
Background Sources
Urbanization
Sources of Nutrients
Nutrient loading to the land
Background Sources
Urbanization
Agriculture
How can SPARROW results be used?
• Predicting water-quality conditions where no water-quality data are available
• Predicting contaminant delivery by source type and location
• Predicting changes in water-quality conditions under different management scenarios
• Designing water-quality monitoring programs
How can SPARROW results be used?
• Predicting water-quality conditions where no water-quality data are available
• Predicting contaminant delivery by source type and location
• Predicting changes in water-quality conditions under different management scenarios
• Designing water-quality monitoring programs
Largest Sources of Total Nitrogen Load Generated within Incremental Catchments (2002)
Largest Sources of Total Nitrogen Load Generated within Incremental Catchments (2002)
Contribution from Different Sources to Total Nitrogen Load Discharged from the Willamette Basin (2002)
Source Category
Source Contribution
(percent)
Point Sources 30.0
Farm Fertilizer 27.2
Forest Land 12.9
Livestock Manure
10.9
Developed Land 9.3
Red Alder Trees
6.8
Atmospheric 2.8
How can SPARROW results be used?
• Predicting water-quality conditions where no water-quality data are available
• Predicting contaminant delivery by source type and location
• Predicting changes in water-quality conditions under different management scenarios
• Designing water-quality monitoring programs
Yakima River Management Scenarios
50% Reduction in Upstream Point Source Loading to Streams
Adjusted TP Load 186 tons/yr
(-26 tons/yr)
50% Reduction in Upstream Fertilizer and Manure Loading to Land
Adjusted TP Load 196 tons/yr
(-16 tons/yr)
Yakima River
(212 tons TP/yr)
Source Contribution
(percent)
Geologic Material 53.6
Farm Fertilizer and Livestock Manure 16.5
Point Sources 24.4
Developed Land 5.5
SPARROW Outreach and Communication
• Publication of article in Journal of the American Water Resources Association (August, 2011)
Surface-Water Nutrient Conditions and Sources in the United States Pacific NorthwestDaniel R. Wise1 and Henry M. Johnson2
SPARROW Outreach and Communication
• Web-based Decision Support System
• Display detailed model results
• Run water-quality management scenarios
• Identify major players (sources and areas)
PNW SPARROW Next Phase• Migration from RF1 to NHD Stream Network
Willamette River BasinRF1 NHD755 catchments 10,198
catchments
PNW SPARROW Next Phase
Point SourcesWWTP’sFish HatcheriesIndustrial Facilities
New or Refined Source
Nonpoint SourcesFarm FertilizerDairies and FeedlotsGrazing CattleOther LivestockNonsewered PopulationLand-Applied WastewaterBiosolids ApplicationAtmospheric N DepositionGeologic PhosphorusMarine-Derived Nutrients
• Improved Nutrient Source Estimates
SPARROW Input Geoprocessing Example
Landscape Nutrient Loadings from Dairies and Feedlots
Use available information:USDA agricultural census
(county level)State depts of agricultureBusiness directoriesNational landcover data base
Confined cattle waste distributedto farmland based on proximity todairies and feedlots.
SPARROW Input Geoprocessing Example
Landscape nutrient loadings fromconfined cattle summarized foreach SPARROW incrementalcatchment.
