EnviroFish, Version 1.0: User's Manual

Abstract

EnviroFish is both a modeling approach and a computer software. As a modeling approach, EnviroFish estimates the value of floodplain habitat suitable for fish reproduction under a given set of hydrologic and hydraulic conditions. As a software, EnviroFish is a Java computer program facilitating the application of the modeling approach. This manual describes both the modeling approach and the software. The EnviroFish approach integrates hydrology, hydraulics, land use, and empirically based knowledge of fish reproductive strategies in riverine floodplains to predict a biological response to different flooding scenarios suitable for standard federal planning processes. EnviroFish can be used to calculate Habitat Units for specific floodplain habitats, with each habitat providing different values for spawning and rearing fishes. In order of least to most preferred habitats, are agricultural fields, fallow fields, bottomland hardwood forests, and floodplain waterbodies. EnviroFish was initially developed for flood control projects in the lower Mississippi River Valley. However, the approach is applicable to any alluvial river system where floodplain fish spawning habitat is being managed, mitigated, or restored, by determining applicable land use categories and HSIs for representative fish species. The EnviroFish software is designed to directly accept data in the Corps of Engineers Data Storage System (DSS) file format. EnviroFish calculates ADFA for an array of project alternatives. The user specifies values of hydraulic criteria (flooding depth and duration) for successful spawning and rearing of fishes and also specifies land use categories to calculate ADFA. This User's Manual discusses the biological basis of EnviroFish, elements of the model, using the software, application considerations, and an example problem.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2012
Accession Number
ADA571679

Entities

People

  • Barry Bruchman
  • Dave Johnson
  • Don Johnson
  • Gary Young
  • Jan J. Hoover
  • K. Jack Killgore
  • Kent Parish
  • L. Y. Lin
  • Robert F Hunt
  • Ron Goldman

Organizations

  • Engineer Research and Development Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Computer Programs
  • Fish
  • Fisheries
  • Habitats
  • Medical Personnel
  • Wildlife

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Aquatic Ecology
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Wetland-Land-Environmental Management.