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U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Scientific Investigations Report 2007–5173

Box Model of a Series of Salt Ponds, as Applied to the Alviso Salt Pond Complex, South San Francisco Bay, California

Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

By Megan A. Lionberger, David H. Schoellhamer, Gregory G. Shellenbarger, James L. Orlando, and Neil K. Ganju

Download the report (PDF, 2,202 KB)

Table of Contents

Conversion Factors

Abstract

Introduction

Model Description

Using The Model

Summary

Acknowledgments

References Cited

Appendix: SPOOM (download in Excel format, 13 MB)

Figures

Figure 1. The Alviso Salt Pond Complex, South San Francisco Bay, California.

Figure 2. The Napa–Sonoma Salt Pond Complex, San Francisco Bay, California.

Figure 3. Hourly temperature model validation of pond 3 of the Napa–Sonoma Salt Pond Complex. Bars on the measured temperature time series indicate the standard deviation of the nine simultaneous measurements taken at three depths and three locations in the pond.

Figure 4. Monthly temperature model validation using monthly data collected in Alviso pond A14.

Figure 5. Schematic diagram of culvert discharge structure used in the Alviso salt ponds, California.

Figure 6. Schematic diagram of weir box structure used in Alviso salt ponds, California. H_W represents the height of the pond water surface above the weir boards, b is the width of the weir boards, and y is the height of the weir boards above the pond bottom.

Figure 7. Loss coefficient, K_L, as a function the hydraulic head for culverts connecting ponds to sloughs .

Figure 8. Rating curve to estimate loss coefficient, K_s, using coefficient data from Jeppson (1976).

Figure 9. Flow rating curve for existing 36-inch culverts with fully open screw gates.

Figure 10. Flow rating curve for existing 48-inch culverts with fully open screw gates.

Figure 11. Daily rainfall rates for water years 1992–99 on the Rainfall worksheet. The shaded area, covering water year 1997, is not included in the model because of missing meteorology data.

Figure 12. Rating curves of slough salinities for flood and ebb tides as a function of tidal elevation.

Figure 13. A screen print of the Main worksheet from the SPOOM workbook.

Figure 14. A screen print of the Weirs worksheet from the SPOOM workbook.

Figure 15. A screen print of the Rainfall worksheet from the SPOOM workbook.

Figure 16. A screen print of the Pumping worksheet from the SPOOM workbook.

Figure 17. A screen print of the ScrewGates worksheet from the SPOOM workbook.

Figure 18. A screen print of the ComboGates worksheet from the SPOOM workbook.

Figure 19. An example of the slough-to-pond connection on the Main worksheet, highlighted in yellow.

Figure 20. An example of the pond-to-pond connection on the Main worksheet, highlighted in yellow.

Figure 21. Alviso pond A14 simulated (A) water-surface elevation and (B) volume from July 31 to September 1, 1993, for two tidal outflow scenarios.

Tables

Table 1. Surface area and volume of Alviso ponds A9–A17.

Table 2. Targeted summer and winter water-surface elevations and summer salinities during the South Bay Salt Ponds Initial Stewardship Plan period for Alviso ponds A9–A17.

Table 3. Elevations of the culvert inverts for Alviso ponds with slough connections.

Table 4. Summary of simulated daily salinity and mean temperature in Alviso pond A14 during August for two tidal outflow scenarios.

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Send questions or comments about this report to the author, David H. Schoellhamer, (916) 278-3126.

For more information about USGS activities in California, visit the USGS California Water Science Center home page.