Simulation of Streamflow and Water Quality in the Brandywine Creek Subbasin of the Christina River Basin, Pennsylvania and Delaware, 1994-98
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U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey SIMULATION OF STREAMFLOW AND WATER QUALITY IN THE BRANDYWINE CREEK SUBBASIN OF THE CHRISTINA RIVER BASIN, PENNSYLVANIA AND DELAWARE, 1994-98 Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4279 In cooperation with the DELAWARE RIVER BASIN COMMISSION, DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL, and the PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey SIMULATION OF STREAMFLOW AND WATER QUALITY IN THE BRANDYWINE CREEK SUBBASIN OF THE CHRISTINA RIVER BASIN, PENNSYLVANIA AND DELAWARE, 1994-98 by Lisa A. Senior and Edward H. Koerkle Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4279 In cooperation with the DELAWARE RIVER BASIN COMMISSION, DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL, and the PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION New Cumberland, Pennsylvania 2003 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GALE A. NORTON, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Charles G. Groat, Director For additional information Copies of this report may be write to: purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Information Services 215 Limekiln Road Box 25286, Federal Center New Cumberland, Pennsylvania 17070-2424 Denver, Colorado 80225-0286 Email: [email protected] Telephone 1-888-ASK-USGS Internet address: http://pa.water.usgs.gov ii CONTENTS Page Abstract . 1 Introduction . 2 Purpose and scope . 4 Previous studies . 5 Acknowledgments . 5 Description of study area . 5 Physical setting . 5 Climate . 5 Geology . 6 Soils. 6 Hydrology . 6 Land use. 8 Water use . 8 Description of model . 8 Data for model input and calibration . 10 Model-input data . 10 Meteorologic data . 11 Water-use data . 14 Spatial data. 16 Model-calibration data. 18 Hydrologic data. 18 Water-quality data. 20 Simulation of streamflow . 33 Assumptions . 36 Model calibration . 36 Sensitivity analysis . 53 Model limitations . 57 Simulation of water quality . 58 Model calibration . 58 Water temperature . 60 Sediment. 60 Dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand. 68 Nitrogen . 77 Phosphorus . 91 Sensitivity analysis . 97 Model limitations . 100 Model applications. 102 Summary and conclusions . 107 References cited . 108 Appendix 1—Results of laboratory analyses of stormflow and base flow samples . 111 Appendix 2—Simulated and observed streamflow and water quality for selected storms at six monitoring sites in the Brandywine Creek Basin . 121 Appendix 3—User control input (UCI) file . 159 Contents iii ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figure 1-3. Maps showing: 1. Location of the Christina River Basin and its four major stream basins and water-quality monitoring sites, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland . 3 2. Mapped soil associations in the Brandywine Creek Basin, Pennsylvania and Delaware . 7 3. Location of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorological stations and calculated Thiessen polygons in the vicinity of the Brandywine Creek Basin . 11 4-6. Graphs showing: 4. Cumulative difference in precipitation, Coatesville 2 W minus Honey Brook 1 S, for the period January 1, 1994, through November 30, 1998 . 12 5. Monthly precipitation measured at four National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration raingages in the Brandywine Creek Basin . 13 6. Estimates of monthly potential evapotranspiration for Wilmington Airport, Delaware . 14 7-8. Maps showing: 7. Generalized 1995 land-use map for the Brandywine Creek Basin . 17 8. Location of streamflow-measurement stations and water-quality monitoring sites, Brandywine Creek Basin and streamflow- measurement stations in the Red Clay Creek, White Clay Creek, and Christina River Basins . ..