Prepared in cooperation with the Onondaga Lake Partnership Hydrologic and Water-Quality Characterization and Modeling of the Onondaga Lake Basin, Onondaga County, New York Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5013 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover. Photographs showing aerial view of downtown Syracuse, N.Y., by William Hecht, and view of strip farming by Brian Hall, Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District. Hydrologic and Water-Quality Characterization and Modeling of the Onondaga Lake Basin, Onondaga County, New York By William F. Coon and James E. Reddy Prepared in cooperation with the Onondaga Lake Partnership Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5013 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey ii U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Mark D. Myers, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2008 For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS For more information on the USGS--the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Coon, W.F., and Reddy, J.E., 2008, Hydrologic and water-quality characterization and modeling of the Onondaga Lake basin, Onondaga County, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5013, 85 p. iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2 Previous Modeling Studies .................................................................................................................4 Other Pertinent Studies .......................................................................................................................4 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................5 Study Area.......................................................................................................................................................5 Climate ....................................................................................................................................................5 Geology ...................................................................................................................................................5 Soils ....................................................................................................................................................7 Land Use and Land Cover ....................................................................................................................9 Surface Water .......................................................................................................................................9 Ground Water .....................................................................................................................................11 Precipitation-Runoff Model ........................................................................................................................12 Model Selection ..................................................................................................................................12 Model Description ..............................................................................................................................12 Model Input and Calibration Data ....................................................................................................13 Meteorological Data .................................................................................................................13 Surface-Water Data ..................................................................................................................15 Otisco Lake Data ...............................................................................................................15 Onondaga Lake Data ........................................................................................................16 Sediment Data ............................................................................................................................17 Estimated Sediment Loading Rates ...............................................................................17 Streambank and Roadbank Erosion ..............................................................................17 Sediment Contribution from Mudboil Area in Upper Onondaga Creek Basin ........19 Bed-Material Particle-Size Data ....................................................................................20 Surface-Water-Quality Data ....................................................................................................20 Estimated Nutrient Loading Rates .................................................................................20 Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection Data ..................22 Project Watershed Data .................................................................................................23 Otisco Lake Data ...............................................................................................................23 Marcellus Wastewater-Treatment Plant Data .............................................................23 Water-Temperature Data .................................................................................................24 Model Structure ..................................................................................................................................24 Basin Representation ................................................................................................................24 Hydrologic Response Units (HRUs) ........................................................................................24 Pervious Land Segments ................................................................................................25 Land Use and Land Cover ......................................................................................25 Hydrologic Soil Group (HSG) .................................................................................27 Aspect .......................................................................................................................27 Impervious Land Segments .............................................................................................27 Summary of Hydrologic Response Units ......................................................................28 Distinctions Among Hydrologic-Response-Unit Groups ............................................29 iv Stream Reaches .........................................................................................................................30 Simulation Complexities ....................................................................................................................31 Springs in Onondaga Creek Valley ..........................................................................................31 Harbor Brook .............................................................................................................................31 Disappearing Lake and Springs in Ninemile Creek Valley ..................................................31 Storm Runoff in Combined-Sewer-Overflow Areas of Syracuse .......................................32 Discrepancy in Otisco Lake Gate Flows ................................................................................32 Channel Losses to Bedrock Fractures ..................................................................................32 Model Calibration and Performance ...............................................................................................32 Hydrology ....................................................................................................................................35 Streamflows at Nine Monitoring Sites ..........................................................................35 Otisco Lake Storage Volume ...........................................................................................42 Water Temperature ..................................................................................................................42 Dissolved Oxygen ......................................................................................................................44 Suspended Sediment ...............................................................................................................44 Sediment-Related Issues ................................................................................................49 Calibration of Suspended Sediment ..............................................................................49 Nutrients ......................................................................................................................................50