Linking Hydrologic and Hydraulic Data with Models to Assess Flow and Channel Alteration at Hog Park, Wyoming USA

Abstract

Transbasin diversions and dams allow for water uses when and where there is high demand and low supply, but can come with an expense to the environment. This paper presents a linkage of hydrologic and hydraulic modeling and datasets to assess the hydrologic and hydraulic stability within a transbasin watershed as an approach for meeting water use targets and safeguarding environmental sustainability. The approach used a Prediction in Ungauged Basin (PUB) regionalization technique that completed the parameterization of a study watershed hydrologic model by transferring calibrated parameters from a reference watershed hydrologic model. This resulted in a long-term, simulated natural flow record that was compared to the measured modified flow record for the same time period to assess flow alteration. In the sensitive reach, hydraulic modeling results tracked channel response from before hydrologic modification to baseline using repeated survey years during the hydrologic modification. The combined assessment of hydrology and hydraulics highlighted the relation between flow regime and channel form.