Monitoring and Simulation of Hydrology, Suspended Sediment, and Nutrients in Selected Tributary Watersheds of Lake Erie, New York

Scientific Investigations Report 2024-5022
Prepared in cooperation with Erie County, New York, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
By: , and 

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Abstract

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Erie County, New York, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, collected water-quality samples in nine selected New York tributaries to Lake Erie, computed estimates of suspended sediment and nutrient loads using the R scripting package rloadest and used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate hydrology and suspended sediment and nutrient loads from these tributaries. This project was undertaken to better understand the water quality of New York’s inputs into eastern Lake Erie.

Water-quality samples for suspended sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus were collected at 19 sampling sites in the Lake Erie Basin in New York. Daily and monthly suspended sediment and nutrient loads were computed with regressions of streamflow and suspended sediment and nutrient concentrations using rloadest.

SWAT models of nine watersheds were created using publicly available data; and the loads calculated by rloadest. Twenty-six SWAT model scenarios were created to explore the effects that best management practices (BMPs; 21 scenarios), point source discharges (4 scenarios), and green infrastructure (1 scenario) can have on the water quality of the nine tributaries to Lake Erie. BMP scenarios for the watershed models included combinations of agricultural BMPs applied at varying implementation levels across the study watersheds, including cover crops, reduced tillage, nutrient management plans, and filter strips. The BMP scenarios showed small reductions of total nitrogen and total phosphorus. The scenarios have variable suspended sediment load results, with both increases and decreases of sediment modeled. The point source scenarios result in lower total phosphorus loads. The green infrastructure scenario shows only minimal reduction of suspended sediment and nutrient loads from the Buffalo River watershed but shows substantial reductions locally.

Suggested Citation

Merriman, K.R., Fisher, B.N., Nystrom, E.A., Bunch, A.R., Welk, R.J., and Kappel, W.M., 2024, Monitoring and simulation of hydrology, suspended sediment, and nutrients in selected tributary watersheds of Lake Erie, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2024–5022, 152 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20245022.

ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Description of Study Area
  • Methods
  • Results of Data Collection
  • Results of rloadest Models for Suspended Sediment and Nutrient Load Estimates
  • Results of SWAT Model Calibration and Validation
  • SWAT Model Results
  • Model Limitations
  • Summary
  • References Cited
  • Appendix 1. Sensitivity Analysis of Soil and Water Assessment Tool Model Parameters
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Monitoring and simulation of hydrology, suspended sediment, and nutrients in selected tributary watersheds of Lake Erie, New York
Series title Scientific Investigations Report
Series number 2024-5022
DOI 10.3133/sir20245022
Year Published 2024
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) New York Water Science Center
Description Report: xii, 152 p.; 2 Data Releases
Country United States
State New York
Other Geospatial Lake Erie watershed
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details