Hydrologic Computer Modeling at Fort Hood, Texas
Non-point pollution of streams has become a critical concern in many areas. The Department of Public Works Environmental Division has committed support to help demonstrate improved water quality on the Fort Hood Reservation through the use of Best Management Practices (BMP's). To help quantify the success of these practices, fourteen water quality monitoring stations have been established.
In addition to physical monitoring, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) computer model is being calibrated for use on the reservations various watersheds. SWAT is a distributed parameter, continuous time model that has many applications including estimation of water flow and associated sediment concentrations through a large watershed. Calibration of this instrument to the terrain and soil conditions present at Fort Hood will provide a predictive tool for aggressive land management.
Results from an earlier study indicate that the model does a reasonably good job of estimating flow within the Leon River watershed of central Texas, of which Fort Hood is a part. The correlation coefficient between observed and simulated stream flow currently stands at 0.83. Comparison of measured and predicted sediment loading will allow the model to be adjusted for specific uses at Fort Hood.
Map of Fort Hood watersheds generated by SWAT
For more information on this topic contact: Dr. Wes Rosenthal
December 17, 1999
June E. Wolfe, III