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HSPF and BASINS Workshops |
AQUA TERRA Consultants provides workshops to support two of the U.S. EPA's most frequently used modeling tools for water resources analysis: the Hydrological Simulation Program - FORTRAN (HSPF) and the Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources (BASINS).
Sample Schedules for Workshops
The purpose of these workshops, held at various locations in the U.S. and abroad, is to provide training on the use of the U.S. EPA Hydrological Simulation Program - FORTRAN (HSPF) to engineers, scientists, and planners active in water resources and water quality management. Topics addressed in the workshops typically include HSPF background and development, simulation algorithms, data needs, data management capabilities, and a thorough examination of the HSPF application process. This latter topic covers development of a modeling strategy, types and sources of data needed, identification and development of critical model parameters, the model calibration/verification process, evaluation of management alternatives, and interpretation of results.
AQUA TERRA customizes its HSPF workshops to meet the technical needs of the attendees. Workshops that focus on only the hydrological aspects of HSPF are typically presented by our Everett, Washington office staff; sample watersheds from the State of Washington are traditionally used. Our Mountain View, California office staff have primary responsibility for presenting combined hydrology/water quality workshops. The Iowa-Cedar River basin; Four Mile Creek, Iowa; Chesapeake Bay Watershed Model Study; and the Patuxent Watershed NPS Study are typically used as comprehensive examples of model applications. Hands-on experience with the program is provided during the extensive computer work sessions on data management and analysis, model input preparation and interpretation, model calibration, and review of model simulation output. Workshop computer sessions are designed to use the GenScn interface. GenScn is a graphically-based tool for the generation and analysis of model simulation scenarios for watersheds. At the request of individual clients, AQUA TERRA has customized workshops to place greater emphasis on specific model components (e.g., agricultural chemicals, snow, special actions) and/or modeling support software (e.g., BASINS, WinHSPF) that are of particular relevance for a planned or ongoing project.
The purpose of these workshops, held at various locations in the U.S. has been to provide training on the use of the BASINS modeling system to engineers, scientists, and planners active in water resources and water quality management. The workshops begin with consideration of a BASINS/TMDL case study. Topics addressed for the remainder of the workshop typically include building a BASINS project; watershed delineation and segmentation; data development using WDMUtil; watershed hydrology; reach/reservoir hydraulics; nonpoint source modeling; water quality modeling; and simulating best management practices (BMPs) and analyzing impacts. Hands?on experience with BASINS is provided during the extensive computer work sessions on data management and analysis, model input preparation and interpretation, model calibration, and review of model simulation output. As needed, AQUA TERRA has been funded by EPA to update and enhance the workshop materials used in government-sponsored workshops. AQUA TERRA shares responsibility for providing EPA-sponsored workshops with Utah State University; announcements of upcoming workshops are posted on the EPA Office of Water training page.