Relating Surface Water Nutrients in the Pacific Northwest to Watershed Attributes Using the USGS SPARROW Model Daniel Wise, Hydrologist US Geological Survey Portland, 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 Settling Biological Uptake Overland Flow Subsurface Flow SPARROW is Process-Based Nonpoint Sources

SPARROW Model Description SPARROW Water-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 Description The fundamental component of the SPARROW model is the stream reach and its associated incremental catchment. Reaches begin at all stream confluences and at the locations of calibration sites An incremental catchment is the area that drains directly to a reach without passing through 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 Nortwest 12,039 individual reaches and associated incremental catchments Willamette River Basin 755 individual reaches and associated incremental catchments

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)

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 Northwest Daniel R. Wise 1 and Henry M. Johnson 2

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 Basin RF1 NHD 755 catchments 10,198 catchments

PNW SPARROW Next Phase Point Sources WWTP’s Fish Hatcheries Industrial Facilities New or Refined Source Nonpoint Sources Farm Fertilizer Dairies and Feedlots Grazing Cattle Other Livestock Nonsewered Population Land-Applied Wastewater Biosolids Application Atmospheric N Deposition Geologic Phosphorus Marine-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 agriculture Business directories National landcover data base Confined cattle waste distributed to farmland based on proximity to dairies and feedlots.

SPARROW Input Geoprocessing Example Landscape nutrient loadings from confined cattle summarized for each SPARROW incremental catchment.

Questions? Contact: Daniel Wise: USGS OR Water Science Center ;