Application and Validation Study of the HEC-RAS-RVSM Model to the Sacramento River
Abstract
PURPOSE: The riparian vegetation simulation module (RVSM) was developed and integrated into the Hydrologic Engineering Center-River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) to predict spatially explicit seed dispersal, seedling establishment, plant growth, and mortality in response to riverine hydraulic conditions. The HEC-RAS-RVSM model is capable of predicting dynamic hydraulic roughness and simulating the interactions of flow and riparian vegetation on floodplains. In this study, the HEC-RAS-RVSM was applied to the Sacramento River reach to evaluate its modeling capabilities with regard to vegetation changes and interactions between flow and riparian vegetation dynamics. The purpose of this Ecosystem Management and Restoration Research Program (EMRRP) technical note is to document the validation study of the HEC-RAS-RVSM model for the Sacramento River reach and provide a user guide for applying this tool. BACKGROUND: A dynamic riparian vegetation simulation module, RVSM.dll, has been developed for the HEC-RAS one-dimensional (1-D) model (Zhang et al. 2018). The HEC-RAS model was expanded to incorporate and assess riparian vegetation in the floodplain. Various processes and equations in RVSM and its integration with HEC-RAS have been critically tested and verified before, and the focus here is on the real-world application. The HEC-RAS-RVSM model was applied to the Sacramento River reach for modeling vegetation changes and predicting interactions between flow and riparian vegetation dynamics. The Sacramento River, known as the Ecological Management Zone, supports a diverse aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial system. The river also serves societal needs for water supply and crop cultivation. Riparian restoration of the Sacramento River is highly desirable due to the ecological importance and degree of degradation of these areas.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 25, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1075823
Entities
People
- Billy Johnson
- Blair Greimann
- Junna Wang
- Zhonglong Zhang
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center