B A T H T U B  -  Version 6.1

Simplified Techniques for Eutrophication Assessment & Prediction

developed by

William W. Walker, Jr., Ph.D.

for

Environmental Laboratory

USAE Waterways Experiment Station

Vicksburg, Mississippi

August 2006

Program Description    References    Technical Support   Program Operation    Recent Updates    Disclaimer

 

Program Description

BATHTUB is designed to facilitate application of empirical eutrophication models to reservoirs or lakes.  The program formulates steady-state water and nutrient mass balances in a spatially segmented hydraulic network that accounts for advective transport, diffusive transport, and nutrient sedimentation. Eutrophication-related water quality conditions (expressed in terms of total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll a, trans­parency, organic nitrogen, non-ortho-phosphorus, and hypolimnetic oxygen depletion rate) are predicted using empirical relationships previously developed and tested for reservoir applications ( Walker, 1985 ). To provide regional perspectives on reservoir water quality, controlling factors, and model performance, BATHTUB can also be configured for simultaneous application to collections or networks of reservoirs .  As described in Chapter 1 ( Walker, 1999 ), applications of the program would normally follow use of the FLUX program for reducing tributary monitoring data and use of the PROFILE program for reducing pool monitoring data, although use of the data reduction programs is optional if independent estimates of tributary loadings and/or average pool water quality conditions are used. 

The program generates output in various tabular and graphic formats , as appropriate for specific applications.  Descriptions of  underlying theory, program operation , model options , output variables , application scenarios , sample input files , and  recent updates   are attached.  T he help screens provided with the model are not intended to be comprehensive.  The user is referred to Walker (1985) for a description of the model derivation and to Walker, 1999 (Chapter 1) for a discussion of basic modeling concepts and data requirements.

Basic elements defining each application include:

The functions of the program can be broadly classified as diagnostic or predictive:

Diagnostic:

Predictive:

Predicted confidence limits can be calculated for each output variable using a first-order error analysis scheme that incorporates effects of uncertainty in model input values (e.g., tributary flows and loadings, reservoir morphometry, monitored water quality) and inherent model error . While BATHTUB offers a variety of empirical models that have been pre-calibrated to CE reservoir data ( Walker, 1985 ), the program allows includes a routine for calibrating the model to reservoir-specific monitoring data.   If sufficient data are available, calibration may reduce prediction error.

References

Walker, William W., “Empirical Methods for Predicting Eutrophication in Impoundments - Report 1: Data Base Development", "prepared for Office, Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C., Technical Report E-81-9, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi, May 1981.


Walker, William, W., "Empirical Methods for Predicting Eutrophication in Impoundments - Report 2: Model Testing", prepared for Office, Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C., Technical Report E-81-9, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi, September 1982.


Walker, William W., "Empirical Methods for Predicting Eutrophication in Impoundments - Report 3: Model Refinements", prepared for Office, Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C., Technical Report E-81-9, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi, Draft 1983, published March 1985.


Walker, William W., Simplified Procedures for Eutrophication Assessment &  Prediction: User Manual Instruction Report W-96-2 USAE Waterways  Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 1996 (Updated September 1999)
 

Technical Support


Download Current Version of Software & Documentation:  http://www.wes.army.mil/el/elmodels/emiinfo.html

Dr. David Soballe
e-mail: David.M.Soballe@erdc.usace.army.mil


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