PB82-2<42520
Application of Water Quality Models to a
Small Forested Watershed: I.' The Nondesignated
208 Area Screening Model
(U.S.) Military Academy
West Point, NY
Prepared for
Environmental Research Lab.
Athens, GA
Apr 82
$&n Service
-------
Page Intentionally Blank
-------
TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
(Phase read fnanictions on the reverse before completing/
I. REPORT N
DRT NO
EPA-600/3-S2-029
ORD Report
3. BiiCiejENTJS ACCESSIONS
P§8^ 24252 0
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
Application of Water Quality Models to a Small Water-
shed: I. The Nondesignated 208 Area Screening
Model
5. REPORT DATE
April 1982
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHOR(S)
J. Wesson and J.K. Robertson
8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO.
». PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
Science Research Laboratory
U.S. Military Academy
West Point NY 10996
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
CARB1A
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
EPA-1AG-D7-0086
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
Environmental Research Laboratory-Athens GA
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Athens GA 30613
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Final, 7/76-9/79
14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
EPA/600/01
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
16. ABSTRACT
The natural setting of a small forested watershed, the West Point Study Area,
is described. Modeling of the watershed using the nondesignated 208 area screening
model is explained. Parameter evaluation and sampling for calibration and verifica-
tion purposes is detailed. Shortcomings of the model for application to small
forested watersheds are identified.
17.
KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTORS
b.IDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
c. COSATI Field/Group
13. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
RELEASE TO PUBLIC
19. SECURITY CLASS (This Report!
UNCLASSIFIED
21. NO. OF PAGES
106
20. SECURITY CLASS IThii page)
UNCLASSIFIED
22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (9-73)
-------
NOTICE
Mention of trade names or commercial products does not
constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
-------
EPA 600/3-82-029
April 1982
APPLICATION OP WATER QUALITY MODELS
TO A SMALL FORESTED WATERSHED:
I. The Nondesignated 208 Area Screening Model
J. Hesson and J.K. Robertson
Science Research Laboratory
U.S. Military Academy
West Point, New York 10996
Interagency Agreement No. EPA-IAG-D7-0086
Project Officers
Thomas Barnwell / James Falco
Technology Development and Applications Branch
Environmental Research Laboratory
Athens, Georgia 30605
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
ATHENS, GEORGIA 30605
-------
FOREWORD
As environmental controls become more costly to implement
and the penalties of judgment errors become more severe, environ-
mental quality management requires more efficient analytical
tools based on greater knowledge of the environmental phenomena
to be managed. As part of this Laboratory's research on the
occurrence, movement, transformation, impact, and control of en-
vironmental contaminants, the Technology Development and
Applications Branch develops management or engineering tools to
help pollution control officials achieve water quality goals
through watershed management.
Basin planning requires a set of analysis procedures that
can provide an assessment of the current state cf the environment
and a means of predicting the effectiveness of alternative pollu-
tion control strategies. In 1977, this Laboratory published
Water Quality Assessment; A Screening Method fur Nondesignated
208 Areas, which contains a set of consistent analysis procedures
that accomplish these tasks. The assessment procedure is
directed toward local and state government planners who must in-
terpret technical information from many sources and recommend the
most prudent course of action that will maximize the environmen-
tal benefits to The community and minimize the cost of
implementation. An integral part of the development process is
the calibration and verification of the screening method on
actual watersheds. This report evaluates its use in characteriz-
ing wasteloads and water quality in small forested watersheds in
New York.
David W. Duttweiler
Director
Environmental Research Laboratory
Athens, Georgia
iii
-------
ABSTRACT
The natural setting of a small forested watershed, the Vest
Point Study Area, is described. Modeling of the watershed uuing
the nondesignated 208 area screening model is explained.
Parameter evaluation and sampling for calibration and verifica-
tion purposes is detailed. Short-comings of the model for g.ppli-
cation to small forestei watersheds are identified.
This report was submitted in fulfillment of Interagency
Agreement No. EPA-IAG-D7-0086 by the U.S. Military Academy under
the sponsorship of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
This report covers the period July 1976 to September 1979, and
work was completed as of 30 September 1979-
iv
-------
CONTENTS
Foreword i.ii
Abstract iv
Figures vi
Tables viii
Acknowledgments ix
1. Introduction 1
2. Conclusions 2
3. Recommendations 3
4. The West Point Study Area 4
5. The Nondesignated 208 Area Screening Method Models 29
6. Data Collection 33
7. Application of Screening Method Models to the
West Point Study Area 44
8. Discussion 84
References . 88
Appendices
A. Soil Units in the West Point Study Area 92
B. Soil Profile - Hollis Series 95
C. Wildlife Present on the USMA Reservation 96
-------
FIGURES
Number Page
4-1 . Location Map for the West Point Study Area. 5
4-2 Block Diagram Showing the Reading Prong of the
New England Province. 6
4-3 The Wast Point Study Area Showing the Watershed
Boundary and Wetland Locations Used in the Text. 7
4-4 Oblique View of the West Point Study Area
Generated from a Digitized Data Base by Computer. 8
4-5 Geologic Hap of the West Point Study Area. 9
4-6 Soils Map of the West Point Study Area. 11
4-7 Average Monthly Precipitation at Bear Mountain
1958-1978. 13
4-8 Bathymetry of Beaver Fond. 15
4-9 Bathymetry of Popolopen Lake. 16
4-10 Bathymetry of Bull Pond. 18
4-11 Bathymetry of Lake Georgina. 19
4-12 Bathymetry of Barnes Lake. 20
4-13 Bathymetry of Summit Lake. 21
4-14 Wetland Classes in Wetland 4, West Point
Study Area. 23
4-15 Forest Communities, West Point Study Area. 24
4-16 Forest Fire History Since 1951. 26
4-17 Timber Cutting History as Known. 28
5-1 Sub-Area Basins Within the West Point Study Area. 32
vi
-------
Number Page
6-1 Climatological Stations Used ac> a Source of Data
for Modeling in the West Point Study Area. 35
6-2 Sampling Sites and Instrument Locations, West
Point Study Area. 37
6-3 Compound Thin Plate Weir at the Exit of
Sub-Area 2. 39
6-4 Cutthroat Flume at the Exit of Wetland 4 and
Sub-Area 4. 41
7-1 Slope Segmenting for Equations 7-2 and 7-3- 49
7-2 Values of y for Irregular Slopes. 52
7-3 Stiff Diagram for Sub-Area 2, West Point
Study Area. 56
7-4 Relationship Between Polygon Area on Stiff
Diagram and Sediment Delivery Index. 57
7-5 Predicted Monthly Nonpoint Loads for the West
Point Study Area (Sub-Areas 1-8 as a unit). 68
7-6 Comparison of Summit Lake Thermal Profiles with
Model Estimates. 72
7-7 Comparison of Bull Pond Thermal Profiles with
Model Estimates. 73
7-8 Comparison of Popolopen Lake Thermal Profiles
with Model Estimates. 74
7-9 Comparison of Bull Pond Thermal Profiles with
Model Estimates Assuming Varying Degrees of Mixing. 75
7-10 Sedinent Routing, West Point Study Area. 77
7-11 Kypolimnion Dissolved Oxygen Prediction for Bull
Pond, 1979- 82
vii
-------
TABLES
Number Page
7-1 . Soil Erodibility Factors. 48
7-2 Comparison of LS Values Resulting from
Restrictions on Slope Length. 50
7-3 "P" Values for Erosion Control Practices
on Croplands. 53
7-4 Drainage Density. 54
7-5 Sediment Delivery Ratio. 55
7-6 Sediment Load Parameters and Estimates. 58
7-7 Nitrogen Summary. 62
7-8 Phosphorus Summary. 65
7-9 Estimated Organic Matter Loads. 67
7-10 Summary of Predicted Nonpoint Loads from the West
Point Study Area Using the Method of Zison
et al.. 1977. 69
7-11 Lake Morphometric Parameters. 71
7-12 Estimated Sedimentation Rates. 78
viii
-------
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thir, research was conducted by scientific and technical
personnel of the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York,
und agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The ollowing Academy personnel contributed significantly to this
project:
Cdt P. Anderson OPT T. Dolzine
Cdt G. Pink CPT T. Rice
Celt P. Grier CPT R. Graham
Cdt J. Komperda MAJ J. Dietzel
Cdt P. Lamoureux LTC P. Lagasse
Cdt J. Marmora CPT J. Glasier
Cdt G. Mat is MAJ J. Langowski
Cdt 0. Rodriquez Mr. 0. Dyes
Mr. M. Prann Mr. G. Wojciechowski
Computer graphics support was provided by the Department of
Earth, Space, and Graphics Sciences, U.S. Military Academy.
Figure 4-4 is the work of CPT J. Charland.
COL C. Gilkey, Pacility Engineer, West Point, provided
financial and logistic support from his assets. The support of
his personnel, particularly Joe Deschenes, Porester; H. Biswas
and M. Siani, Sanitary Engineers; J. MacDonald, Water Plant, and
MAJ Arch Gallup, Work Control is acknowledged. Lieutenant Barry
Helm of the 528th Engineer Detachment provided significant
logistic support.
The cooperation of Mr. John Troy, Engineer, Palisades
Interstate Park Commission has been instrumental in obtaining
access to the Twin Lakes Region of the Palisades Interstate Park.
Carl Johnson and W.E. Williams of the Bear Mountain water plant
have provided sewer plans, water system plans, and rainfall data
from their station located at Queensboro Lake.
Special thanks to Mrs. Shirley Bonsell and Ms. Susan Romano
for the many hours at the computer terminal juggling the text
editor commands to produce the many drafts of this paper.
ix
-------
SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
This report presents an evaluation of the application of
Vfater Quality Assessment; A_ Screening Method for Hondesignated
208 Areas (Zison £t al., 1977) to a forested watershed on por-
tions of the U.S. Military Academy Reservation and the Harriman
Section of The Palisades Interstate Park in Orange County, N.Y.
This report is the first of a series produced under an
Interagency Agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency to evaluate the applicability of existing water quality
models to a small forested watershed. Future veports will deal
with the application of The Nonpoint Source Model (NFS) (Donigian
and Crawford, 1976) and The Agricultural Runoff Management (ARM)
Model (Donigian et al., 1977) to the same watershed.
As part of the calibration and verification process, field
data for water quality, hydrologic, and meteorological parameters
are being collected. This report details the selection of
sampling sites, instruments, techniques, and analytical methods
used in the data collection. Parameter selection for model use
is explained.
-------
SECTION 2
CONCLUSIONS
1. Wasteloading from nonpoint sources on the West Point Study
Area or any other steeply sloped area cannot be modeled by the
Nondesignated 208 Area Screening Method (Zison et al... 1977)
without extension or modification of the algorithm for assigning
a value to the topographic factor, LS.
2. Procedures for use of the erosion control practice factor, P,
for forested areas need to be clarified in the llondesignated 208
Area Screening Method (Zison et al.. 1977).
3. The formulation for deriving the sediment delivery ratio, S^
in the Tlondesignated 208 Area Screening Method (Zison et al. ,
1977), yields sediment loa.ding values higher than we are comfort-
able with. The Forest Service (1978) sediment delivery index
derived from eight forest parameters seems better suited to
forested areas.
4. Lake eutrophication predictions in the Nondesignated 208 Area
Screening Method (Zison et al.. 1977) only work for phosphorus-
limited conditions. The model needs to be extended to other
situations.
5. The lake thermal profiles model in the Nondesignated 208 Area
Screening Method (Zison et al.. 1977) when applied to the West
Point Study Area gives a reasonable prediction of actual field
conditions.
6. The lake dissolved oxygen prediction in the Nondesignated 208
Area Screening Method (Zison et al. . 1977) has been i/erified for
one lake in the West Point Study Area.
7. Application of the Nondesignated 208 Area Screening Method
(Zison et al. . 1977) to forested watersheds should be done with
caution until the methodology is thoroughly tested and verified.
-------
SECTION 3
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. That further data collection be conducted on the West Point
Study Area to enable verification of the wasteloading prediction
from nonpoint sources based on the Nondesignated 208 Area
Screening Method (Zison et. al. . 1977).
2. That model procedures (Zison et_ al., 1977) be revised to give
guidance to the user with forested terrain to model on how to set
the erosion control practice factor, P, in the universal soil
loss equation.
3- That the procedures from the WRENSS model (Forest Service,
1978) for calculation of the topographic factor, LS, and sediment
delivery index, SDI, be added to the Nondesignated 208 Area
Screening Method (Zison et al., 1977) as replacements for LS and
S, for steeply sloped forested areas only.
4. That the WRENSS model (Forest Service, 1978) be applied to
the West Point Study Area and verified, and that the revised
Nondesignated 208 Area Screening Method (see 3 above) be verified
on the same watershed to determine which model gives the better
prediction of water quality from a forested watershed.
5. That the average annual rainfall factor, R, maps presented in
the USDA Agriculture Handbook 537 be substituted for the general-
ized version presented in Zison et al., 1977.
-------
SECTION 4
THE WEST POIKT STUDY AREA
4.1 GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING
The study area is 46 to 50 miles north of New York City and
3 to 6 miles west of the Hudson River on Popolopen Brook, a
tributary to the Hudson in Orange County, New York (Figure 4-1).
The area is part of a low mountainous belt known locally as the
Hudson Highlands. This name is applied loosely to the portion of
the crystalline "Highlands" adjacent to the Hudson River which
extend from Reading, Pennsylvania through northern New Jersey and
on into Connecticut (Lowe, 1950). These same highlands have been
categorized geomorphically as the Reading Prong, a salient of the
Upland Section of the New England geomorphic province (Thornbury,
1965; Figure 4-2).
/
The study area comprises 3,247 acres of watershed draining
to the dam on Popolopen Lake (Figure 4-3). The southern portion
of the watershed is in the Harriman section of the Palisades
Interstate Park. The northern tip is in the Black Rock Forest,
an experimental forest belonging to Harvard University. The
remainder of the area is part of the U.S. Military Academy
Reservation.
Elevations range from 678 ft at Popolopen Lake to 1401 ft
along the northwest margin of the basin (Figure 4-4). The
Highlands are characterized by escarpments and by 25 to 60
percent slopes which separate the gentle summit terrain from the
base slopes of 10 to 25 percent (Engineer Intelligence Division,
1959).
4.2 GEOLOGY
The West Point Study Area is underlain by rocks of the
Highlands metamorphic-igneous complex. These rocks represent
Precambrian sedimentary and perhaps volcanic rocks which have
been metamorphosed, folded, and intruded by granite 1.1 billion
years ago (Dodd, 1965; Figure 4-5). The topography of the area
is controlled by the structure and lithology of the underlying
rocks. Ridges and valleys parallel the folds in the metamorphic
-------
X NEWBURGH/A,BEACON, ^
HARVARD
BLACKROCK
FOREST
MIODLETOWN
ORANGE
CO
HARRIMAN
STATE PARK
USMA
RESERVATION
NJ
Figure 4-1. Location Hap for The West Point Study Area.
-------
READING PRONG WEST POINT
Figure 4-2. Block Diagram Showing The Reading Prong of The New England Province
(Johnson, 1932).
-------
BLACK ROCK
FOREST • m.
r~;-x«/-i4
N
»**«
"BEAVER" *
.POND;
/ MILITARY
/ RESERVATION . .' „ |(
/ / (WATERSHED AREA
II •' / M 5.75S'J.MILES
• PALISADES / U490 HECTARES
.'INTERSTATE ,
PARK j
I
I
/_
SCALE
1000 500 0
v!A
I/ Z
IOOO
-'METERS
' 'STATUTE MILE
. . . WATERSHED BOUNDARY
USMA RESERVATION BOUNDARY
ROADS
.'SUMMIT LAKE
Figure 4-3. The West Point Study Area Snowing The Watershed
Boundary and V/etland Locations Used in the Text.
-------
CD
Figure 4-4. Oblique View of The Weut Point Study Area Generated from a Digitized Data
Base by Computer (Charland).
-------
—-ji RUSTY BIOTITt-
rogt[ OUARTZ-FCLDSMR GNEISS
OR»T BIOTITE-OUARTZ
FELOSPAK GNEISS
META-IGNEOUS ROCKS
AWPWBOLITE
GNEISS OF UNCERTAIN
DERIVATION
HY*ERST»4ENt-ou*irrz-
OLIOQCLASE 6NEI«
•STATUTE MN.E
. . . WATERSHED BOUNDARY
LONG PONO FAULT
INFRARED CONTACT
EXPOSED CONTACT
Figure 4-5. Geologic Map of The West Point Study Area (after
Dodd, 1965).
-------
rocks and the crystalline lineation of the.rocks. High ridges in
the area are developed on the intrusive granites. The
northeast-southwest trending valley is developed in the southern
portion of the basin on the Long Pond Fault (Engineering
Intelligence Division, 1959; unnamed by Dodd, 1965). The entire
area shows evidence of glaciation from the north. Glacial-
erosional features are common (roche racutonees, striations,
chatter marks) as are glacial depositional features (filled
valleys, kames, and kame terraces). Erratic material, mostly of
local derivation, mantles the hills (Dodd, 1965).
4.3 SOILS
Soils in Orange County were mapped for the Orange County
Soil and Water Conservation District by the Soil Conservation
Service of the Department of Agriculture in the early 1970's
(Wright and Olsson, 1972). Individual township maps for
Cornwall, Highlands, and Woodbury (Orange County Soil and Water
Conservation District, 1974) have been pieced together to produce
a composite soil map for the West Point Study Area (Figure 4-6).
In producing the composite soil map we have eliminated the slope
class symbol and grouped soils by the mapping unit code. The
mapping unit codes from the original report (Wright and Olsson,
1972) have been retained. The soil descriptions for each of the
soil types in the West Point Study Area are reproduced in
Appendix A.
Most of the study area is labeled as Hollis Rock Outcrop
with "outcrops occupying 90 percent of the area". While there
are significant outcrop areas, they are by no means as extensive
as classified by the Soil Conservation Service (Wright and
Olsson, 1972). Labeling these areas Kollis Rocky Association
(070) would be more appropriate. We hope to revise the soil map
for the area in conjunction with colleagues from the SUNY-College
of Environmental Science and Forestry,, Syracuse, New York (SUNY-
ESF) over the next several years.
Soils on the hills are shallow with zero to 18-24 inches
overlying bedrock. Lowland soils are deeper, up to 6 feet.
Detailed mapping of soil depths will be accomplished as part of
the SUNY-ESF cooperative project. A detailed soil profile is
presented in Appendix B.
4-4 CLIMATE
Climatological data for the area are available for WEST
POINT, a reporting station in Climatological Data (National
Climate Center) and from the Water Plant at Bear Mountain Park.
A continous recording station associated with this project has
been established at Stilwell Lake (Figure 6-2) to provide hourly,
1C
-------
N
SCALE
1000 800 0
. . . WATERSHED BOUNDARY
LAKE
LEGEND
MOO SIC CftAVELU
FINE SANDY LOAM
CHARLCTON • NAMKAOANSETT
EXTREMELY STONY SOILS
. 0/1
SQUIRES LOAM
CHARLTON
ftNE SANDY LOAN
VAYLANO SILT LOAM
CAMUSIC MUCK
PALHS MUCK
ntESH WATCH HARSH
SCKIM-SUM KTMCHCLY
STONY ASSOCIATION
ALDCN • SUM CXTMtrCLV
STONY ASSOCIATION
HOLLIS ROCKY
ASSOCIATION
HOLLIS ROCK OUTCROP
ASSOCIATION
Figure 4-6. Soils Map of The West Point Study Area (after Orange
County Soil and Water Conservation District, 1974).
11
-------
15-minute, and 5-minute rainfalls needed for modeling.
Supplemental weighing rain gauges are being sited throughout the
watershed (see section 6).
Summer temperatures at West Point average 74 degrees
Fahrenheit, but short hot apells in the nineties are common.
Winters i' '"he West Point Area are moderately cold, with tempera-
tures averaging just below the freezing point at West Point (The
West Point, site is located adjacen^ to the Hudson River and
generally stays warmer than locations in the study area). It is
not unusual to have rain throughout the winter. Snowpa.ck typi-
cally comes and goes throughout the winter. The average number
of.days with snow on the ground (greater than one inch) arc:
November <1 day
December 5 days
January 10.5 days
February 10.5 days
March 6.0 days
April <1 day
(Engineering Intelligence Division, 1959.)
The mean annual precipitation at West Point is 47 inches,
distributed evenly through the year. Figure 4-7 shows the
average monthly precipitation at Bear Mountain Water Plant, Bear
Mountain, N.Y., for the twenty-one year period 1958-1978. In the
winter, elevations above 1,000 feet tend to have snow when the
lower lying areas are having rain. These areas also keep snow-
cover for a longer period.
Wind roses for the study area are not available at this
time. Data from the Stilwell Lake station will be prepared in
this format in the future.
4-5 DRAINAGE
Drainage on the watershed is a modified trellis pattern
influenced by the lineation in the underlying rocks and faults.
Six lakes (ponds) and fifteen wetland complexes affect the flow
of water on the watershed. Five of the six lakes are manmade:
Summit, Barnes, Georgina, Popolopen, and Beaver. Bull Pond, the
deepest lake, is natural. Three of the fivo manmade lakes have
depths greater than the dam height and thus must have existed as
small ponds or wetlands prior to impoundment (Summit, Popolopen,
Beaver).
The streams in the area have cut to bedrock in most cases.
Channels are strewn with boulders and stones. Streams flash to
high flow after storms because of the impervious bedrock, material
close to the surface. There is little overland flow under the
forest canopy. A great deal of interflow takes place at the
soil-bedrock interface.
12
-------
INCHES OF PRECIPITATION AS RAIN
JFMAMJ JASOND
MONTH
Figure 4-7. Average Monthly Precipitation at Bear Mountain
1958-1978.
-------
4.5-1 Lakes
Bathymetric data for ponds on the U.S. Military Academy
Reservation were obtained from the USMA forester. The maps were
produced in 1975 by an anonymous technician by lowering a weight
into the lake, recording the depth, and then contouring by hand
the resulting point data. Our spot checks for accuracy using the
same technique and with a sonic depth finder have shown these
naps to depict the shape of the bottom accurately, but to show
depths greater than actual. These lakes will be resurveyed in
subsequent winters using the technique described below for the
Palisades Lakes.
Bathymetric data for Popolopen Lake are from a 1942 engi-
neering survey (Potter Associates, 1944). Spot checks of these
data have shewn the survey to be reliable. This lake will be
resurveyed last, because data for this lake have proven to be
reliable.
Summit Lake and Barnes Lake were surveyed in February 1979
by laying a grid on the surface of the ice and measuring the
depth using a Lowrance Fish-Lo-K-Tor ("The Green lox") sonic
depth finder. Depths at Barnes Lake were measured through the
ice, whereas those at Summit Lake, because of e.ir pockets in the
ice, were measured by placing the sensor in a hole dug with an
ice auger. In both cases frequent checks were made to confirm
the accuracy of the sonic depth finder and our ability to dis-
criminate the lake bottom in areas with soft bottom. Point data
from the field were contoured to produce the bathymetric maps.
Lake volumes were calculated from areas within the contour
lines using the formula for the volume of a frustrum of a cone
(Hutchinson, 1957). Areas were computed using standard planirne-
tric techniques on the maps presented (Lind, 1974).
Beaver Pond (Figure 4-8). is a shallow pond in a depression
on the ridge. The dam of glacial materials may have raised the
level of the natural pond a foot or two. An extensive wetland
complex borders the pond on the north and east sides. Surface
area is 8.43 acres and the volume is 1.28 x 10G ft3. Average
depth is 3-5 feet.
Popolopen Lake (Figure 4-9) is a manmade lake with a 16 foot
concrete dam. Water levels are regulated in the winter and
spring to prevent ice damage to docks and shoreline buildings at
Camp Buckner and to control runoff from snow melt in the spring.
The two deep basins in the lake exceed the dam height suggesting
shallow ponds similar to Beaver Pond existed before damming.
Water from the lake is used as water supply at Camps Buckn^r and
Natural Bridge. Treated sewerage from the camps is discharged to
Popolopen Brook outside the watershed. Popolopen Lake's surface
14
-------
250 FT
Figure 4-8. Bathymetry of Beaver Pond (source unknown)
15
-------
Figure 4-9- Bathymetry of Popolopen Lake (Potter Associates, 1944)
-------
•J A
erea is 148.8 acres and volume is 7.28 x 10 ft . Its average
depth is 11.2 feet. Popolopen Lake serves as a recreational area
for the two camps.
Bull Pond (Figure 4-10) is a natural pond in a deep depres-
sion on the ridge. An extensive lakeside wetland borders it on
the southwest end. The deepest point is approximately 64 feet.
A silt layer 2 to 3 feet deep covers most of the bottom. Bull
Pond has a surface area of 21.6 acres and volume of 2.04 x
10? ft3. Average depth is 21.6 feet. It is used as a recrea-
tional area for West Point. The natural fish population has been
supplanted by hatchery trout.
Lake Georgina (Figure 4-11) is a manmade lake on the ridge.
Much of its bottom is exposed bedrock. It was built to supply
v:ater to a resort at the base of the ridge near Lake Frederick.
Today it is used for cadet training in crossing water obstacles
and recreational fishing. Its surface area is 4.6 acres, with a
volume of 2.38 x 106 ft . Its average depth is 11.9 feet.
Barnes Lake (Figure 4-12) in Palisades Interstate Park, is
manmade. It provides recreation to two summer camps located on
its shores. One of the two camps was abandoned in 1977- It has
a surface area of 11.3 acres, and volume of 3«53 x 10s ft3.
Average depth is 7.2 feet.
Summit Lake (Figure 4-13) in Palisades Interstate Park is
manmade. It provides recreation for a Girl Scout camp located on
its shore from mid-June to late August each year. It is the
water source for the camps on Summit, Barnes, Massawippa, and the
Twin Lakes. Summit Lake has an extensive growth of watermilfoil
(Nyriophyllum brasiliense), spatterdock (Nuphar advena). and
white waoerlily (Nymphea odorata) on its bottom. Summit Lake has
a surface area of 31-8 acres, and a volume of 1.30 x 107 ft3. It
has an average depth of 9-4 feet.
Summit Lake is the only lake of the group with extensive
plant growth on its bottom. All the lakes have aquatic plants
along the edge and in the shallow water, but the growth is
sparse. Summit Lake is densely packed with plant growth.
4.3.2 Wetlands :"
Fifteen freshwater wetlands exist in the study area (Figure
4-3). The numbers used to identify the wetlands in Figure 4-5-
will be used throughout this report. We are using Golet's (1976)
scheme for wetlands in the glaciated northeast to classify these
wetlands. This work has just begun. In most cases a preliminary
assessment of site type has been made and is presented. The
wetland classes present and the dominant wetland class have only
been determined in one or two instances and are presented. It is
important to keep the presence of the wetlands in mind, since the
17
-------
250 FT
Figure 4-10. Bathymetry of Bull Pond (source unknown)
18
-------
250 FT
Figure 4-11. Bathymetry of Lake Georgina (source unknown),
19
-------
I I
50m
Figure 4-12. Bathymetry of Barnes Lake (this report)
20
-------
N
Figure 4-13- Bathmetry of Summit Lake (this report)
21
-------
screening models treat wetlands as though they were gently
sloping fields or meadows.
Wetlands 2, 7, 9, and 11 are upland-isolated wetlands. All
were deciduous wood swamp (WS-1) at one time. The old large
trees are dyi.^g off due to the water level (increased by beavers
on occasion). Wetland 9 has lost all its trees, with rotting
dead stumps remaining. It is better classified now as a dead
woody deep marsh (DM-1). The others (2, 7, and 11) are in
transition towards this state, but still should be classified as
deciduous wood swamps (WS-1).
Wetlands 5 and 12 are bottomland-l&keside wetlands, although
wetland 5 could just as easily be thought of as bottomland-
streamside if one worked from Lake Georgina towards Bull Pond.
Classes have not been worked out for these two wetlands.
Wetlands 3, 4, 10, and 14 are bottomland-streamside
wetlands. Numbers 3 and 10 are deciduous wooded swamps (WS-1).
Wetland 14 has not been classified. Wetland- -4 has a high wetland
class richness, with low vegetative interspersion. Figure 4-14
shows the concentric nature of the wetland. The central portion
is floating leaved shallow marsh (SM-4). The surrounding zone is
narrow-leaved shallow marsh (SM-2) characterized by the growth of
Tussock sedge (Carex stricta). On the western edge of the
complex is a narrow zone of sapling shrub swamp (SS-1). The
southwestern (upstream) end of the wetland is bushy shrub swamp
(SS-2). This zone grades into another zone of sapling shrub
swatnp (SS--1 ) and then to deciduous wooded swamp (WS-1;.
Wetland 8 is a bottomland-isolated wetland of deciduous
wooded swamp (WS-1). Wetland 15 is a bottomland-deltaic wetland
with bushy shrub swamp (SS-2) as the dominant class. Wetland 13
appears to be a bog. Detailed plant identification to confirm
this has not beer, completed. Wetlands 1 and 6 have not been
worked on.
4-6 VEGETATION AND FAUNA
The forest of the study area is in the glaciated section of
the oak-chestnut forest region (Braun, 1950). A number of
loosely defined forest types are distinguished (Figure 4-15)•
The predc-ninant community is a Red Oak community (Braun, 1950,
p254; Raup, 1938, p56), found at higher elevations on generally
poor rocky sites. It consists of red oak (Quercus rubra),
chestnut oak (Quercus montana), sugar maple (Acer saccahrum),
tulip tree (Liripdendron tulipifera). white ash (Fraxinus
americana), and black birch (Betula lental).. A second dominant
community also found at higher elevations is the Chestnut Oak
community consisting of chestnut oak, red oak, black oak (Quercus
T
l),
velutina), hickory (Carya sp.)f and red cedar (Juniperus
22
-------
FVJ
to
Figure 4-14- Wetland Classes in Wetland 4, West Point Study Area. See Figure 4-3 for
location.
-------
SCALE
1000 500 0
. . WATERSHED BOUNDARY
WHITE ASH -HICKORY
fm GRAY BIRCH -RED MAPLE
OPEN ARE AS -WETLANDS
7igure 4-15- Forest Communities, Wect Point Study Area (after
Office of the Engineer, West Point, 1962; Joe Deschenes, personal
communication).
24
-------
virginiana). The third forest community is Cove (Raup, 1938),
found in ravines and lower north slopes with.tulip tree, basswood
(Tilia aniericana). sugar maple, red oak, white oak (Quercus
alba), and white ash predominating. Poorly drained soils sup-
ported a Grf.y Birch-Red Maple community in Raup's time consisting
of gray birch (Betula populifolia)f red maple (Acer rubrum), elm
(U3mus J3J2.), black birch, white ash, and alder fAlnus rugosa).
The gray birch is a shade-intolerant pioneer npecies which has
almost completely disappeared from the watershed. It has been
replaced by sugar maple, ash, hickory, and black birch forming
what is now best described as a Red Maple Community (Deschenes,
personal communication). A Hemlock community predominates on the
northwesterly slopes of the ridges. In some places the stands
are relatively pure hemlock (Tsu^a canadensis; and in others
sugar maple, white ash, yellow birch(Betula~alleghaniensis).
basswood, and tulip tree, are associated. The last community
found is a White Ash-Kickory association not usually found in a
normal climax forest. Its presence is thought to be the result
of past severe cuttings of a selective nature (Office of the
E.igineer, West Point, 1962).
Areas within the study area have been subjected to forest
fires over the years. Records prior to ownership by West Point
(1938-1944) are nonexistent. The forest fire map (Figure 4-16)
plots '^hose fires known since 1951. The USMA Woodland Management
Plan (Office of the Engineer, West Point, 1962) states that "over
a period of years, almost all of the woodlands in this region
have been repeatedly turned. The fires were generally surface or
ground fires whose apparent damage was then deeraod
insignificant...." It is possible that additional areas may have
beer, burned for which ve have no record.
Fauna common to northern hardwood forests occur within the
study area (Appendix C). An over population of white tail deer
(Odocoileus ylglnianua) exitsbs due to restricted hunting on the
U.S. Military Academy Reservation, and no hunting or bow-only
hunting in the Palisades Interstate Park to the south and north
of the stuiiy area. Browye damage to tree seedlingr has prevented
efforts at ieforestation.
4.7 LAND USE
Much of the land within the study area has always been
wooded because the steep terrain precludes agricultural use.
Small to moderate sized farms were present prior to West Point's
acquisition of the property (1930-1944). Stone walls, building
foundations, and overgrown apple orchards exist, mainly on the
near-level portions with good soil.
25
-------
N
19771
BEAVER-
.POND '.
LAKE
GEORG1NA
•BARNES
'; LAKE
SCALE
1000 BOO 0
l/l
•SUMMIT
LAKE
POPOLOPEN
LAKE
1000
—METERS,
STATUTE MILE
PERIMETER OF
BURN AREA
jy AREA BURNED -ACRES
. . . WATERSHED BOUNDARY
Figure 4-16. Forest Fire History Since 1951 (after Office of the
Engineer, West Point, 1962; Joe Deschenes, personal
communication).
26
-------
Forests in the area were cut to supply charcoal to the many
brickyards along the Hudson River and charcoal and mine timbers
for the iron mining operations centered in the Stilwell Lake
area. No detailed record exists of the cutting history for most
of the area. The Woodland Management Plan for USMA (Office of
the Engineer, West Point, 1962) contains a map of the USMA
reservation with cutting histories as known prior to 1942.
Information from this map has been abstracted as it applies to
the study area (Figure 4-17). In addition recent commercial
cuttings have been-plotted based on the USMA forester's records
(Joe Deschenes, personal communication).
The Palisades Interstate Park area is a nature preserve and,
except for the camp areas, has remained wild since acquisition
(date unknown). Several foundations and stone walls are in
evidence within the Park area indicating some prior occupation.
Today the USMA reservation is primarily used to support
summer military training of cadets. Army Reserve and ROTC units
use the ranges and training areas in the spring and fall for the
same purpose. Areas within the study area are used for small
unit tactics, land navigation, etc., with the exception of one
small demolition range adjacent to wetland 4 (Figure 4-3). Some
use of the area is made by West Point personnel for recreation.
Two camps, Natural Bridge and Buckner, are located on the shores
of Lake Popolopen. A cabin complex is located adjacent to Bull
Pond. Non-potable water is derived from a well. Drinking water
is brought in. Sewage is collected in a concrete septic tank.
The portion of the study area in Palisades Interstate Park
is used for non-profit group camping during the period from mid
June tc late August. A Girl Scout camp, Camp Teata, belonging to
the Paterson, New Jersey, council is located at Summit Lake. As
mentioned previously Summit Lake also serves as the water supply
for this camp, and several others outside the study area. Two
camps are located on the shores of Barnes Lake. One was aban-
doned in 1977, and the other is occupied on a family basis by
individuals from the Central Valley (N.Y.) Colony Club. All the
Palisade camps use pit septic tanks for sewage.
The USMA woodlands are managed by a professional forester.
Military training requirements and use of the study area for
water supply have precluded clear cutting or strip cutting. A
selection system requiring marking of salable timber is currently
practiced. Current practice calls for cutting within an area
approximately every 16 years to achieve an all-aged crop as
opposed to the even-aged crop existing in many areas. Timber is
harvested by commercial sawyer? under contract to the government
(Joe Deschenes, USMA forester, personal communication; Office of
the Engineer, West Point, 1962).
27
-------
SCALE
1000 500 0
. . . WATERSHED BOUNDARY
2/5 VOLUME CUT FOR CORDWOOO
1917-1920
l/S-Z'5 CUT FOR COROWOOO
1913-195*
a CUT PERIODICALLY BY OWNER
FOR OWN USE 1900-1939
NO APPRECIABLE CUTTING FOR
SO YEARS PRIOR TO 1961
.'SUMMIT
: LAKE
tm
I 1 t'» COT FROM SOUTH I/S OF
I I PROPERTY 1922-1921
] CUTTING HISTORY NOT KNOWN
I ,-T*..! 1952-53 SALVAGE AREA FROM
I S>*l HURRICANE SLOWDOWN
\ ' ••] I96» SELECTIVE CUTTING
| | 1972 SELECTIVE CUTTING
|°£SS>3 1976 SELECTIVE CUTTING
Figure 4-17. Timber Cutting History as Known (after Office of
the Engineer, West Point, 1962; Joe Deschenes, personal
communication).
28
-------
SECTIOI; 5
HONDESIGNATED 208 AREA SCREENING METHOD MODELS
5.1 INTRODUCTION
In 1977 the Environmental Protection Agency published a set
of water quality models developed by Tetra Tech, Inc., for
screening Nondesigrated 203 (Section 208 of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972) areas (Zison et al..
1977). Th-^se models are intended to provide planners with
simplified desk top methods for preliminary assessment of surface
water quality with little external data input.
This screening method provides for the assessment of:
1. Wasteloads from point and nonpoint sources.
2. Quality of stream waters.
?. Lake water quality.
4. Estuary quality and classification.
In general terms the screening method models are applied as
follows.
1. A rough estimation of wasteloads is made from both point
arid nonpoint sources. Such pollutants as sediment,
nutrients, organic matter, salts, heavy metals,
pesticides, coliforms and others are considered.
2. Wastelcads are used as inputs to the stream water
quality model. Stream processes are modeled to deter-
mine water quality in terms of biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature,
nutrients and eutrophication, coliforms, conservative
constitutents, and sediments and suspended solids along
the length of the receiving stream.
"5. Estimated or measured wasteloado are used either direct-
ly or as modified by in-stream processss as inpvts to
either impoundment or estuary models. La.ke processes
29
-------
are modeled to determine thermal stratification, sedi-
ment accumulation, eutrophication, and dissolved oxygen
conditions. Estuaries are modeled to determine thermal
pollution, turbidity and sedimentation, flushing time
and pollutant concentrations.
5.2 APPLICABILITY TO THE WEST POINT STUDY AREA
The nature of the West Point Study Area, as described
earlier, is such that the use of the screening method models is
limited.
5.2.1 Was-celoading Estimation
Wasteloads from point sources will not be addressed because
the study area contains no significant point sources; in fact,
only one continuously occupied single family home is present in
the study area.
Nonpoint wasteloads are estimated for sediment, nutrients
(nitrogen and phosphorus) and organic matter. Due to lack of
irrigated farms in the study area, salinity is not modeiad.
5.2.2 River and Stream Quality
The river and stream quality portion of the screening method
models id designed to predict responses of rivers to waste
loading schemes and assumes steady-state flow conditions on the
order of a week or longer (Zison ejo_ al. , 1977, page 136). The
streams in the West Point Study Area are too small to allow much
if any in-stream response. The longest reach is a little more
than one mile in length with travel time of water in the stream
on the order of one or two hours. We will treat streams as
transport mechanisms only and will not model any water quality
other than accumulated nonpoint loadings.
5.2.3 Lake Water Quality
.The West Point Study Area contains several small lakes
ranging in depth from 13 to over 60 feet (Section 4-5.1). These
lakes will be modeled for thermal stratification, sediment
accumulation, eutrophica.tion, and disso]ved oxygen based on the
estimated nonpoint wasteloads.
5_.2.4 Estuaries
No attempt will be made to utilize the estuary models,
because the study area contains no estuaries.
30
-------
5.3 AREAS MODELED
The entire watershed tributary to Popolopen Lake will he
modeled for this study. Individual sub-areas are shown in Figure
5-1. The ground surface of all areas will be modeled individual-
ly for nonpoint wasteloads of sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus, and
organic matter. In addition composite loads from areas 1 through
4 and for the entire study area will be predicted.
The estimated wasteloads of area 1 will be used as inputs to
Summit Lake, which will be modeled for sedimentation,
eutrophication, and thermal stratification. Similarly the
estimated nonpoint loads of areas 1, 2, and ? will be usei*. as
inputs to Barnes Lake. Barnes Lake will be modeled for the same
properties as Summit Lake.
Area 5 will be modeled to determine estimated nonpoint
loadings of sediment, nutrients, and organic matter. These will
be used as inputs tc Bull Pond, which will be modeled for
sedimentation, eutrophication, thermal stratification, and
hypolimnion dissolved oxygen.
Popolopen Lake will be modeled for the same characteristics
as Summit Lake. Inputs will be the nonpoint loads predicted from
the entire watershed. Where data exist, actual outflow of lakes
will be used rather than predicted nonpoint loadings which do not
reflect in-lake processes.
The nany wetlands in the study area (Section 4.5-2) will be
treated as much as possible as land surface for v/asteload
estimation. Subsequent studies will allow us to measure the
inputs and outputs of some of these wetlands to evaluate this
analysis method.
-------
N
eOPOLOPEN
LAKE
LAKE
5EORGINA
•BARNES
LAKE
SCALE
KX>0 800 0
i/l
1000
—'METERS(
'STATUTE MILE
.'SUMMIT
. LAKE
. . . WATERSHED BOUNDARY
SUB-AREA BOUNDARY
Figure 5-\ . Sub-Area Basins Within The West Point Study ,;rea.
-------
SECTION 6
DATA COLLECTION
6.1 INTRODUCTION
This section details the establishment of the data collec-
tion network on the West Point Study Area. The network described
is designed to gather data for the EPA supported model testing
program and to serve as the basis for a future program dealing
with the hydrology and nutrient budgets of wetlands. Data
gathered will serve four purposes:
1) input to a simulation model on which the algorithm bases
its prediction.
2) data against which the model prediction will be compared
during the calibration of the model to the West Point
Study Area.
3) data against which the prediction from the calibrated
model will be compared to verify that the model is
providing valid predictions.
4) data to support the wetland studies.
Data needs are in the following areas.
1) Hydrology - stream flow, evaporation, precipitation, etc.
2) Meteorology - temperature, dew point, radiation, wind
speed, etc.
3) Physical characteristics of the watershed - area, slope,
soil depth, soil types and extent, cover, aspect, etc.
4) Water Quality - both chemical and biological.
5) Rate constants for reactions.
The establishment of a data network and supporting laborato-
ry facilities is a cyclical process that may require several
iterations of parameter estimation, equipment specification,
33
-------
parameter measurement, adjustment of equipment specification,
etc. until the best configuration for providing reliable data
within the budget allowance is found. This is a frustrating
process which may take a year or more as one progresses through
the seasonal variations and the vagaries of the year to year
variations in parameters. Ultimately we have found that com-
promises must be made or that more than one data sensor may be
needed to back up another for conditions encountered.
6.2 HYDROLOGiC DATA ACQUISTION
Included here are those parameters needed to define the
transport of water through the watershed: precipitation,
evaporation, transpiration, interception, infiltration,
percolation, storage, and runoff (Gray, 1973). We have chosen to
make as much use of prior records for stations in the vicinity of
West Point as possible. Our approach to this has been to dupli-
cate the parameter measurement within the study area over a
period of time, then to correlate the two stations. Once
correlated, the assumption is made that the relationship between
the two stations has held over time and the older station data
are adjusted to reflect the differences between the two
locations. Where possible several stations are correlated for
each parameter. As the period of record on the study area
increases the correlations are updated.
6.2.1 Precipitation
Model requirements for precipitation data vary greatly. The
nondesignated 208 area screening model (Zison et al.. 1977)
requires average annual precipitation (see Section 7;, whereas
the HPS node! (Donigian and Crawford, 1976) requires hourly or
15-minute rainfall data and the updated version of the ARM model
(Donigian and Davis, 1978) requires hourly, 15-minute, or 5-
minute rainfalls. A new EPA comprehensive watershed model
currently in the formulaTion stage at Hydrocomp, Inc. -
Hydrologic Simulation Programming in Fortran (HSPP) - will give
the user the choice of 19 precipitation periods starting from 1
minute (Johanson, personal communication).
National Climatic Center precipitation data are available
for sites surrounding the study area (Figure 6-1) in hourly and
daily formats. Hourly precipitation data for Poughkeepsie, N.Y.,
Yorktown Heights, N.Y., Carmel, N.Y., and Oakland Valley, N.Y.
(see Figure 6-1) are being collected by purchasing tapes of past
records from the National Climatic Center and by subscribing to
Hourly Precipitation Data (National Climatic Center). Daily
precipitation data have been collected from the same four
stations, plus West Point by purchase from the National Climate
Center and subscription to Climatologlcal Data (National Climatic
Center). In addition, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission
34
-------
OOWNSViLLEDAM x
.'•--.I
(DUTCHESS
CO
Ui
VJ1
LEGEND
O • 0 PRECIPITATION STATION
•&•»•» PRECIPITATION a TEMPERATURE
^. PRECIPITATION,EVAPORATION/TEMPERATURE
« RECORDING GA6E
O NON-RECORDING GAGE
• BOTH TYPE GAGES
WEST POINT STUDY AREA STATION
NATIONAL CLIMATOLOGICAL STATION
CO
WEQTPOJfJT
ST1U0ELLLAKE -9-
Figure 6-1. Cliraatogical Stations Used as a Source of Data for Modeling in The West
Poin-, Study Area.
-------
has made available daily precipitation data with 22 years of
record at Queensboro Lake, Bear Mountain, New York.
To meet the demands of future modeling efforts, recording
rain gages were installed in the study area, A Weathermeasure
model P511E heated tipping bucket gage was installed at Stilwell
Lake (Figure 6-2) in June 1978. In June 1979 a Belfort model
5-780 double traversing weighing rain gage was collocated with
the tipping bucket. The tipping bucket records on a 30-day chart
with 5-minute time resolution; the weighing gage records on a
7-day chart with 20-minute time resolution. Both will be con-
verted to record on a digital tape recorder in the future for
better time resolution and ease of data handling.
The Stilwell Lake site was chosen outside the study area
proper (Figure 6-2) to accommodate the radiation meter (see
Section 6.3-1). It also afforded us a source of electricity,
security, and occupation by West Point personnel on a daily
basis, particularly during hunting season. The site was also
accessible year round.
As a measure of the heterogeneity of the rain over the study
area, supplemental weighing rain gages will be placed at several
locations on the watershed. Few open sites exist on the study
area that meet gage placement criteria (McKay, 1973). These
locations are biased to lowland clearings on fairly level ground,
although some upland locations exist that will be difficult to
service in winter. Densities for agricultural watersheds recom-
mended by Holtan et a.l. (1962) will be used as a starting point
for determining gage density. For a watershed the size of our
study area (3247 acres), 1 gage per square mile is recommended.
Because of terrain considerations we will double the density to a
minimum of 2 gages per square mile, while trying to balance the
number of upland and lowland gages.
6.2.2 Evaporation
Evaporation data from the National Climatic Center stations
at Downsville Dam, N.Y. and Canoe Brook, N.J. (Figure 6-1) have
been obtained on computer tape and through subscription to
Glimatological Data (National Climatic Center) for Kev York and
New Jersey, ^he daily service requirements of a standard U.S.
Weather Bureau Evaporation Pan have caused us to choose a substi-
tute evaporation sensor which measures evaporation from a wetted
filter paper housed in an aspirated shelter. This instrument
will be installed at Stilwell Lake when budgetary considerations
permit. Evaporation data are required inputs to the NPS and ARM
models.
-------
ARDEN
HOUSE(W)
SUMMIT
LAKE.
Fw '" f c - IN PLACE a
BEAR MOUNTAIN
WATER PLANT
GRAB CHEMISTRY
F- STREAM FLOW
N - NADP NETWORK COLLECTOR
P - LAKE PROFILE STATION
R- RAIN CASE
W- WEATHER STATION
• • • WATERSHED BOUNDARY
Figure 6-2. Sampling Sites and Instrument Locations, West Point
Study Area. Sites in parentheses are projected.
37
-------
6.2.3 Transpiration, Interception, Infiltration, Storage
A number of prepositioned aluminum wells for use with a
neutron soil moisture meter are being implaced. They will be
used to monitor soil moisture conditions. No attempt w:;.ll be
made to measure transpiration, interception, and infiltration
parameters at this time.
6.2.4 Streamflow
Streamflow is perhaps the most important parameter 5n our
modeling studies because it is the prime indicator of calibration
and verification. It has aloo been the most difficult to
measure. The sections below present our solution to the stream-
flow measurement problem.
6.2.4-1 Site Selection/Sub-basins
Discharge gaging stations were chosen to monitor areas
suitable for modeling purposes and to provide input/output data
for the wetland study. Site locations are shown on Figure 6-2.
At the present time only those stations at the exits of sub-
basins 2, 3» and 4 (Figure 5-1) have been constructed. Those at
the exits of areas 1, 5, 6» 7, and 8 have been designed and
construction sites have been surveyed.
6.2.4.2 Discharge Measurement
A number of standard references were consulted to determine
the best kind of primary discharge measurement device for the
watershed (Kulin and Compton, 1975; Carter and Davidian, 1968;
Buchanan and Somers, 1969 a and b; Bureau of Reclamation, 1975).
Standard thin plate weirs looked easy to construct, implace, and
maintain. The added benefit of readily available calibration
tables reinforced this approach. A 45-degree V-notch weir of
1/4-inch aluminum plate reinforced with steel angle was implaced
at the exit of suL-area 3 in the fall of 1977. Problems were
encountered with sealing -the edges of the plate to be sure that
all flow went through the weir. Polyethylene sheeting bolted to
the weir plate and held in place by water pressure performed well
for a year, but became brittle and tore easily after one year in
place. The requirements to be met for weir implacement and use
(Bureau of Reclamation, 1975* page 12-13) created pool depths for
the range of flows encountered such that heavy duty reinforcement
was needed to prevont plate bending. During the first winter
(1977-78), combined ice and water loads bent a 36-inch high by
1/4-inch thick aluminum plate reinforced with 2-inch angle iron.
Under load conditions in the stream, bending was greater than six
inches. Another approach was needed. V-notch characteristics et
low flow conditions in the summer were desirable, but rectangular
notch characteristics were needed at other times. It was decided
to compromise and create a compound weir with low flow V-notch
and rectangular notch or notches. Standard calibration curves
38
-------
Figure 6-3. Compound Thin Plate Weir at the Exit of Sub-Area 2.
V-notch is 15 inches high. Rectangular notch is 5 feet wide.
Dipping stage recorder in netal box at left. Dipper dips in pipe
cast in the wall.
39
-------
were available for the lower V-notch portion of the weir but not
for the combined weir. Calibration by volumetric methods and
current meter (Buchanan and Somers, 1969b) are being used to
establish flow ratings in place.
The exit to sub-area 4 presented measurement problems of a.
different nature. Wetland 4 is within the sub-area and close
enough to the exit so as to be permanently influenced by any kind
of flow structure which created a pond behind it. Several flumes
were looked at and a cutthroat flume (Skogerbee et al._, 1972;
Bennett, 1972) with 6-foot throat and 9-foot length was chosen.
This flume would raise the water level approximately 3-inches
under average spring and fall conditions and should have minimum
effect on the wetland. The structure was implaced in October
1978.
6.2.4«3 Stage Measurement
A number of recording stage meters for keeping 24-hour or
7-day records behind each weir were examined. Floats were not
used because of the added problems in building stilling wells.
Bubble type meters were not used because of exposure of the
bubbler tube and the battery or canned gas requirements for these
instruments. A Manning model 3030 dipping flow meter with linear
(height) cam was chosen. These instruments were easy to cali-
brate and iraplace. They proved fairly reliable in warm weather,
but needed battery changes every two to three days in cold
weather. Once the water surface froze, the instruments ceased to
operate since ice does not conduct electricity and the instrument
can no longer detect the surface. Staff gages are being in-
stalled for the winter of 1979-80 and will be read every day to
get an approximation to the winter flow. A new radio frequency
sensor based instrument which will operate year round will also
be tried at the same time.
6.2.4.4 Velocity Measurements
Calibration of each weir site is an ongoing task. In the
summer, readings are made with a large plastic garbage can which
has 20, 25, and 30 gallon levels marked internally. Water is
directed to the can by a chute constructed of aluminum stove
pipe. A stop watch is used to time the interval required to fill
the can to the level of interest. Ten or more repetitions are
made at each calibration point to minimize random errors.
The U.S. Geological Survey (Buchanan and Somers, 1969b)
procedures for use of the Price pygmy and Price type AA current
meters mounted on a top-setting wading rod have been adopted for
calibrations at higher flows. Most stream depths in the area are
bolow 2.5 feet and the six-tenths-depth method has been utilized.
Calibration curves are constantly checked as new data points are
established to make sure the new point is not significantly
different from an old one indicating a change in the stream
channel or damage to the current meter.
40
-------
Figure 6-4. Cutthroat Plume at the Exit of Wetland 4 and Rub-
Area 4.
41
-------
6.3 METEOROLOGY
Meteorological data requirements vary from model to model.
Precipitation and evaporation data requirementrs have been pre- •
sented in the hydrology discussion (Section 6.2.1). The
Nondesignated 208 Area model has no other meteorological data
requirements. The NFS and ARM models squire daily maximum and.
minimum air temperature, and daily solar radiation data for
modeling snow accumulation and melt processes.
6.yi Rtilvell Lake Station
In June 1978 a Weathermeasure recording weather station was
activated at the pump house at Stilwell Lake (Figure 6-2) on the
USMA reservation. Instrumentation at the site measures barome-
teric pressure, dewpoint temperature, ambient temperature, wind
speed, wind direction, and rainfall (tipping bucket rain gage).
In July 1979 a weighing rain gage and National Atmospheric
Deposition Program wet-dry collector were collocated at the site.
In October 1979 incoming, outgoing, and net radiation gages will
be added to the station. All sensors (except weighing rain gage)
record on a multipoint chart recorder. Each sensor is polled, in
turn, once every 30 seconds.
6."5.2 Future Expansion
As part of another EPA supported program (Robertson et al.,
1979), additional weather stations are planned which will also
supply data to this study. The first will be at the Bear
Mountain water plant at Queensboro Lake (1'igure 6-2). Existing
daily precipitation data from this station vill be supplemented
with recordings of rainfall (tipping bucket rain gagey, ambient
temperature, wind speed, and wind direction. The second station
is proposed for Arden House (Figure 6-2), a retreat house belong-
ing to Columbia University located on the edge of the Reading
Prong about 1 mile southwest of Summit Lake. This station will
be at least the same as the Queensboro Station, but may have
additional sensors similar to the Stilwell Lake site.
6.4 WATER QUALITY
Biweekly grab samples are taken in polyethylene bottles at
the seven sampling locations shown on Figure 6-2 and returned to
the laboratory for further analysis. At the same time, in-situ
measurements of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and conductiv-
ity are made with a Horiba modej. U-7 water quality checker. The
Horiba instrument has a 10-meter cord and is also used for DO,
pH, and conductivity profiles in Bull Pcnd and Summit Lake.
Temperature profiles are made uith a Cole Farmer Electronic
Thermometer with weighted thermistor sensor which reaches to 65
feet.
42
-------
6.4.1 Chemical
No preservatives are used since samples are returned to the
laboratory and analyzed within 3-hours of collection. A Dionex
model 14 Ion Chroniatograph is now utilized to analyze for Na*,
K4", NH* , Ca , Mg+:, P~, Cl~, P0~3 , NO; , and S0~2 . A Varian
model 1280 atomic absorption spectrophotoraeter equipped with a
Varian model 90 carbon rod atomizer and Varian model 53 automatic
sampling device is used for heavy metal analyses. Detailed
laboratory procedures will be presented with field data in future
reports.
6.4.2 Biological
Total and fecal coliform analyses are performed during the
summer months on specially collected samples using standard
methods. BOD readings presented were performed at the U.S.
Military Academy Water Plant. Additional readings have been
performed in-house using a dissolved oxygen sensor rather than
standard techniques.
43
-------
SECTION 7
APPLICATION OP SCREENING METHOD MODELS TO THE WEST POINT STUDY
AREA
7.1 INTRODUCTION
In this chapter we describe the application of the screening
models to arrive at predicted water quality characteristics in
the West Point Study Area. All eight sub-areas of the study area
will be modeled for nonpoint wasteloads. Predictions will also
be made on wasteloads from a composite of area 1 through 4 and of
the total study area, areas 1 through 8. Several of the lakes in
the study area will be modeled for impoundment waher quality
characteristics.
7.2 NONPOINT WASTELOAD ESTIMATION
The nonpoint wasteloads of sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus,
and organic matter will be estimated using the methods described
by Tetra Tech, Inc. (Zison et al.. 1977, Chapter 3) and taken
from a handbook prepared by the Midwest Research Institute
(McElroy et al., 1976). The estimated loads of nitrogen,
phosphorus, and organic matter are closely related to the sedi-
ment loading function which is basically the Universal Soil Loss
Equation (Wischmeier and Smith, 1965). This equation was devel-
oped to predict average annual sediment yield from surface
erosion on agricultural watersheds east of the Rocky Mountains.
Two basic problems may restrict the application of the
nonpoint model to the West Point Study Area: 1) the study area is
almost totally forested with no agricultural land, 2) the a-ssump-
tion that the majority of the nutrient a'nd organic loads are tied
to sediment may not hold for watersheds having relatively low
sediment yields. Little work has been done on applying the
Universal Soil Lose Equation to forosted lands and thus input
parameters are less clearly defined. Both of these problems are
recognized and presented in the model discussion (Zison et al..
1977, Pages 17-18 and 84-86). It may'be, then, that we are
applying these loading functions beyond the region for which they
were designed or are valid. Subsequent comparison of predicted
and actual loading data will allow us to address these issues;
44
-------
for the present, however, we will assume that the loading func-
tions can be used to predict wasteloads in the West Point Study
Area.
7.2.1 Sediment Loading Function
The sediment loading function may be stated as:
n
[A'(R.K-LS-C-P-S)] (7-1)
where:
Y(S) = sediment loading from surface erosion, tons/year
lli
n = number of sub-areas in the area
A = surface area of sub-area i, in acres
R = the rainfall factor, expressing the erosion
potential of average annual rainfall. The
dimensions of the rainfall factor are ero-
sion-index units.
K = the soil-erodibility factor expressed it,
tons per acre per R (or erosion-index
unit)
LS = the topographic factor, a dimensionless
ratio reflecting the influence of slope
length and steepness
C = the cover factor, a diraensionless ratio
reflecting the influence of surface veg-
etation
P = the erosion control practice factor, a di-
tnensionless ratio reflecting the influence
of measures taken to control surface ero-
sion
S = the sediment delivery ratio, a dimension-
less ratio indicating the amount of eroded
material that is transported the entire
distance from the slope to the receiving
waters
45
-------
7.2.2 Sediment Parameter Estimation
Each of the parameters comprising the sediment loading
function are discussed in detail in this section. The meaning of
each parameter, the physical characteristics upon which they are
based, and t^e method for estimating or designating values are
presented. Parameter values selected for each sub-area are
summarized in Table 7-6.
7.2.2.1 Surface Area, A
The Universal Soil Loss Equation predicts the annual sedi-
ment load eroded rid delivered to a stream or other body of water
from each acre of the drainage basin. The entire West Point
Study Area basin was delineated by locating the basin drainage
divides on a 1:25.000 topographic map (U.S. Army Topographic
Command, 1970). Similarly the sub-areas were each defined by the
present or proposed location of a stream flow control structure
at its downstream limit (Figures 5-1 and 6-2). The area of the
entire sub-area was then determined using a planimeter. Surface
areas of lakes or ponds in the sub-area were also determined by
planimetery and subtracted from the entire area to produce the
ground or soil surface area of the sub-area. The surface area of
the sub-?.reas varied from 130 to 772 acres. The composite of
sub-areas 1 through 4 is 946 acres, and the entire study area has
a surface area of 3247 acres.
7.2.2.2 Rainfall Factor, R
The rainfall factor or erosion index is the term of the
sediment loading function that reflects the erosion potentifl of
precipitation. It is determined by summing the products of storm
kinetic energy and maximum 30 minute intensity for all signifi-
cant storns in the local area. For these models the average
annual R is used. Maps showing average annual R values for the
U.S. are published in nany sources (Zison et al., 1977, McElroy,
et al.f 1976 and Wischmeier and Smith, 1965), however the easiest
map to use is that in the Agriculture Handbook 537 (U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1978) because it is of larger scale
and shows county boundries. From this map it was deternined that
the R value over the entire West Point Study Area is 150 erosion
index unita.
While R is given as an average annual value, its theoretical
distribution over the year is expressed on a set of graphs
included in the model publication (Zison et al.. 1977, Appendijc
A). By finding the location of the area of interest on the index
map and applying the appropriate distribution graph, it is
possible to determine the theoretical monthly distribution of R
and thus sediment, nutrient, and organic matter loads throughout
the year. The West Point Study area fell within area 31 (Zison
.el -al*, 1977).
46
-------
We have some reservations as to the validity of breaking
down a long term annual average- into short term increments.
However, monthly predictions, for wasteloads will be presented in
addition to annual estimates.
7.2.2.3 Soil-Erodibility Factor, K
The poil-erodibility factor is tjie term in the sediment
loading function that reflects the relative ease with which
particles of soil are eroded from plots of specific soil type.
It is expressed as the annual rate of erosion (tons of sediment
per year) from a unit plot of a specific soil type of standard
length, slope, and surface conditions for each unit of erosion
index (R above).
Since soils and soil characteristics are localized, the best
information on soil K values is obtained from local sources. We
obtained soil maps and soil-erodibility values for the local area
from the Middletown, N.Y., office of the Soil Conservation
Service (K. Vinar, personal communication; Wright and Clsson,
1972) and overlayed the information on the study area map (Figure
4-6).
The K value for each sub-area was determined by taking an
area-weighted average of all soil type credibility factors in
that sub-area. Factors for the soils in the study area are shown
in Table 7-1. Since most of the soil area of the watershed is
classified as one of the Hollis Rocky soils (070 or 071), there
ia little variation of K values between the sub-areas. The K
value was either 0.19, 0.20 or 0.21 for each of the sub-areas
(Table 7-6).
7-2.2.4 Topographic Factor, LS
The topographic factor, soiretines referred to as soil-loss
ratio, is the term in the sediment loading function that accounts
for the length and steepness of the slope over which surface
water flows toward receiving waters. Previously the topographic
factor has been presented as two separate slope factors, the
slope length factor, L, and the slope gradient or steepness
factor, S (Zison et al., 1977; McElroy et al., 1976; and
Wischmeier and Smith, 1965). However, in usage the slope length
and steepness had usually been handled as a combined term,
Zicon et al. (1977, page 37) present a figure from which the
LS value for irregular slopes may be found when entpred with
slope length and steepness for segments of the entire irregular
slope. This graph covers neither the lengths of slopes nor the
slope steepness (up to 60 percent) that are found in the study
area. Foster and Wischmeier, (1973) from which the irregular
Blope determination method was taken, was consulted. Here it was
determined that we could find the LS value for irregular slopes
by applying the equation:
47
-------
TABLE 7-1 Soil Erodibility Factors*
Mapping
Unit
Soil
Name
"K"
Value
Erosior.
Potential
#
22
38
63
91
94
96
103
025
026
070
071
Hoosic Gravelly 0.20
Fine Sandy Loan
Charlton and 0.20
Narragansett
Extremely Stony
Soils
Squires Loan 0.24
Charlton Fine 0.20
Sandy Loam
Wayland Silt 0.0
Loam
Carlisle Muck 0.0
Palms Muck 0.0
Fresh Water 0.0
Marsh
Scriba-Sun Ex- 0.32
tremely Stony
Association
Alden and Sun 0.28
Extremely Stony
Soils
Hollis Rocky 0.20
Association
Hollis Rock 0.20
Outcrop Associ-
ation
MED
LOW
MED
MED
HIGH-VERY LOW+
HIGH-VERY LOWX
HIGH-VERY LOWX
HIGH-VERY LOWX
MED
MED
LOW
LOW .
Notes: #Erosion Potential LOW, K=0.10-0.20
MED, K=0.24-0.32
HIGH, K=0.37-0.49
+ Very low except where water is running over the soil
surface.
x Only erodible by wind, when drained of water.
* Soil Conservation Service, 1976; Wright and Olsson
1972; K. Vinar, personal communication
48
-------
LS =
where:
(7-2)
Ae(72.6)
LS = topographic factor
S. = slope factor for slope segment j
J
A. = distance, in feet, from the top of the entire
3 irregular slope to the bottom of segment 3
X = distance, in feet, from the top of the entire
e irregular slope to the bottom of the last
segment
The slope factor S in equation 7-2 is a function of the
slope of the segment, shown "below:
S. = 0.4? + 0.30S + 0.0433* (7-3)
J
6.613 '
where:
S = percent slope of slope segment j
This assumes an irregular slope of n segments shown below:
Segment ]_^ ——
Segment n
Figure 7-1.' Slope Segmenting for Equations 7-2 and 7-3 (Potter
and Wischmeier, 1973).
-------
To determine LS, several representative slopes were chosen
in each sub-area. These slopes were divided into segments based
on percent slope ac determined from a 1:25,000 topographic map--
and equations 7-2 and 7-3 were ap^'.led. These LS values were
averaged yielding on average topographic factor, LS, for each of
the sub-areas. LS values varied from 1J.6 to 25.5 for the
sub-areas of the West Point Study Area.
The length of slope used to determine LS values is defined
as "the distance from the point of origin of overland flow to
either of the following, v/hichever is limiting for the major part
of the area under consideration: (1) the point where the slope
decreases to the extent that deposition begins, or (2) the point
where runoff enters a well-defined channel..." (Wischmeier and
Smith, 1965)' In this study area we defined slopes as starting
at a ridge line or hilltop and ending at a stream, lake or
wetland (as shown on the map), or at a steep narrow valley or
draw which probably contained a "well-defined channel." We car
find no good description of what constitutes a "well-defined
channel" especially in a steep rocky area such as our location.
This method of slope designation resulted in slope lengths up to
almost 4000 feet and in general over 1000 feet. It is possible
and even most probable that a "well-defined channel" is encoun-
tered well before overland flow has proceeded 1000 feet.
We recalculated LS values, limiting all slopes to 400 feet
or less, to determine the effect of overestimating the slope
lengths. As was expected LS values generally were lower when
slope length was 400 feet or less. However, we found that this
limitation did not produce much of a decrease, the average being
a 16 percent reduction. The larger values are used in further
calculations because we have chosen to overestimate wasteloads as
we screen the area for trouble areas.
TABLE 7-2. COMPARISON OP LS VALUES RESULTING PROM RESTRICTIONS
ON SLOPE LENGTH. See text for discussion.
West Point Study LS Values
sub-area number 1 2345678
unlimited length 15-7 19-4 13-9 24-9 17.4 13.6 25-5 19-5
limited length 13-8 23.6 10.4 19-9 12.9 8.6 19-5 17.8
(<400«)
An alternate method for determining LS based on the same
equations but with slightly different exponents may be found in a
handbook for evaluating silviculture nonpoint .sources (Forest
Service, 1978). This method uses the equation below and Figure
-------
7-2 (reproduced from the above publication)
n
(7-4)
where:
u, = value of P from Figure 7-2 with X to the
^ top of segment j and the line representing
the percent slope of segment j
u = value of u from Figure 7-2 with * to the
^ bottora of segment j and the line represent-
ing the percent slope of segment j
*e = distance, in feet, from the top of the en-
tire irregular slope to the bottom of the
last segment
7.2.2.5 Cover Factor, C
The cover or cropping-management factor is the term for the
sediment loading function that accounts for the reduction of
erosion caused by the presence of a vegetation cover. Much work
has been done on the effects of different, types and amounts of
plant cover (Wischmeier, 1972 and Water Resources Administration,
1973)- The West Point Study Area is adequately described as a
well stocked woodland, with 100-75 percent tree canopy; 100-90
percent of soil litter covered and unmanaged (i.e. grazing
uncontrolled, fires controlled somewhat). Based on these charac-
teristics a C value for the entire study area of 0.003 was chosen
(Zison et al_._, 1977, page 44).
7.2.2.6 Erosion Control Practice Factor, P
The erosion control practice factor (prinarily intended for
agricultural areas) is the term in the sediment loading function
that accounts for the reduction in surface erosion caused by such
conservation- practices as contouring and terracing. P factors
and associated control practices are shown in Table 7-3-
Good conservation practices can reduce erosion up to 75
percent on shallow slopes from that experienced under poor
conservation. We are at a loss as to how this applies to a
forested watershed. A steep sloped agricultural area could have
P values ranging from 0.45 to 1 .0. Being unsure whether to apply
the higher value because there are no erosion control practices
or to apply the lower value because the forested area is
undisturbed, we have chosen the higher value of 1.0. This is
because, once again, we want to risk overestimation rather than
underestimation of sediment yield and because we believe that the
very low cover (C) factor above probably .recounts for reduced
erosion from forested areas.
51
-------
iqpoo
1000
100
vno
\= SLOPE LENGTH (FT)
Figure 7-2. Values of y for Irregular Slopes (after Forest
Service, 1978).
-------
TABLE 7-3. "P" VALUE3 FOR EROSION CONTROL PRACTICES
ON CROPLANDS (Zison et al.. Table III-6)
Slope
2.0- 7
7.1-12
12.1-18
18.1-24
Cross-slope
Up-and- Farning Contour
Downhill Without Strips Farming
1 .0 . 0.75 0.50
1.0 0.80 0.60
1.0 0.90 0.80
1.0 0.95 0.90
Cross-slope
Farming With
Strips
0.37
0.45
0.60
0.67
Contour
Strip-cropping
0.25
O.JO
0.40
0.45
Ul
UJ
-------
7.2.2.7 Sediment Delivery Ratio, Sd
The sediment delivery ratio is the term in the sediment
loading function that reflects the amount of sediment delivered
to receiving waters by overland flow. It reflects deposition of
sediment on the land surface. As such the S^ term is a function
of both particle size and the distance that the particles must
travel to reach the receiving waters. S, depends on the soil
texture and the area's drainage density. The texture of the
study area soil was determined to be "medie.n", (i.e. between
aandy and predominantly silt), after consultation with the Soil
Conservation Service (Vinar, personal communication).
The drainage density is defined as the total length of all
stream channel segments in an area divided by the basin area
(Leopold et^ al., 1964). While the basin areas are easily deter-
mined (see section 7.2.2.1 above), the channel length is not
easily defined. The problem is in determining what constitutes a
channel (Coats, 1958; Hesson, 1977). We have defined a channel
as that which is shown as a stream on The West Point and
Vicinity, 1:25,000 topographic map (U.S. Army Topographic
Command, 1970). The stream segments in each sub-area were
measured from the topographic map. To these we added the center-
line lengths of lakes, ponds and wetlands to account for these
portions of the drainage network. The drainage densities were
then determined by dividing the total channel (plus centerline)
length by the entire sub-area surface area (lake surfaces
included).
To determine the effect of more accurate channel
determination, which would presumably result from using a larger
scale map or an aerial photograph, a 1:7,500 scale map (U.S.
Military Academy Orienteering Club, 1978) was used to determine
the drainage density. The comparison of drainage densities shown
in Table 7-4 indicates that a larger scale map generally makes
little change (note however that on two of the areas there is a
two-fold increase when the larger scale map was used).
TABLE 7-4. DRAINAGE DENSITY (MILE/MILE2)
Sjib-area Number
Scale 1 2 3 4 5 G 7 8
1:25
1:7,
,000
500
map
map
3-3
nd
1.9
3-2 '
nd
1.5
nd
3-1
1
3
.6
.5
2.5
2.7
2.8
3-0
nd = not determined
54
-------
Entering Zison ejt al. 's (1977) graph with the reciprocal of
drainage density and using the median soil texture yields the S,
values shown in Table 7-5.
TABLE 7-5. SEDIMENT DELIVERY RATIO
SUB-AREA
NUMBER
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
sd Sd
1:7,500 1:25,000
0.41
0.41 0.37
0.41
0.36
0.43 0.40
0.41 0.37
0.40 0.39
0.40 0.40
SDI
0-TRACE
0-TRACE
0-TRACE
0-TRACE
0-TRACE
0-TRACE
C-TRACE
0-TRACE
Also shown in Table 7-5 are sediment delivery values deter-
mined by a method that accounts for more physical parameters than
the graphical technique above (Forest Service, 1978). As can be
seen this more rigorous method yielded an S^ value so low as to
be negligible. This method consists of the plotting of values
for eight specific evaluation parameters or factors on a Stiff
diagram (Figure 7-3). A .etailed description of the evaluation
factors can be found elsewhere (Forest Service, 1978, pa.ge
IV.54-IV.58). An example of the application of this method to
one of our sub-areas is presented in Figure 7-3. The eight
evaluation factors for sub-area 2 were determined and plotted on
the Stiff diagram. The plotted points were then connected with
straight lines forming a polygon. The area inside the polygon is
then measured (in our case by planimetery) and its percentage of
the entire Stiff diagram area calculated. The S-shaped curve in
Figure 7-4 is used to determine the sediment delivery index
(ratio). All the sub-areas in the Vest Point area produced a
polygon with less than 4 percent of the Stiff diagram area. This
results in a sediment delivery of very nearly zero.
We have chosen to use the higher Sd values (from the
1:25,000 map). The S^ found using the larger scale map differed
little for the areas determined but could not be applied to all
sub-treas because the 1:7,500 map covered only a portion of the
55
-------
Slope
Shape
(
I
Percent Ground
Cover
S
••^^
\
*\
ii
>
s
•j.
/
Iff
n
^
30
X
10
s^
V
\
•
k
2
°°j
?
5
\
S,
00,
7\
i
20
S
...
Texture of Available
Eroded Material Water
fl
....
t
3
3f
V 2001
i5f
ay
^
400
XX)J
n i
0
\
•
^
1 ^^^
x"
X
•
•75
• •id
^
\
•2\
K
•j^
^
•3
»
• 1
n
N
•x
f1
L
\
\
N
^
25
\
n
/
).02
•^
f,
_L
=?5
\
*s
f
~:
\
#
/
/^
0.050
0"
-------
tfl •
09'
UJ
Q
Q3-
Q7 '
GC
UJ
OS-
Ul
Q Q5"
I-
UJ Q4
5
UJ 03
02-
7
10 2030406060n>eOW>100
PERCENT AREA FROM STIFF DIAGRAM
Figure 7-4. Relation? ip Between Polygon Area on Stiff Diagram
and Sediment Df-" < very Index (Forest Ser-'-'ce, 1978).
57
-------
TABLE 7-6. SEDIKENT LOAD PARAMETERS AND ESTIMATES
co
Factors
Area, A., acres
Rainfall, R, erosion index
units
Erodibility, K,
tons/year/R
Topographic, LS,
dimenaionless
Cover, C, dimensionless
Practice, P, dimensionless
Red. Delivery, S,,
diir.ensionless
Estimated Sediment Load,
tons/year
Estimated Sediment Load,
tons/acre-yr
1
150
150
0.20
15.7
0.003
. 1 .0
0.41
75
0.58
2
186
150
0.20
19-4
0.003
1 .0
0.37
120
0.65
3
250
150
0.21
13-9
0.003
1 .0
0.41
135
0.54
Sub-areas
4 5
380
150
0.19
24-9
0.003
1 .0
0.36
291
0.77
409
150
0.19
17.4
0.003
1 .0
0.40
243
0.60
6
580
150
0.19
13-6
0.003
1 .0
0.37
250
0.43
7
540
150
0.19
25-5
0.003
1 .0
0.39
459
0.85
8
772
150
0.20
19-5
0.003
1 .0
0.40
542
0.70
Estimated Sediment Load,
Areas 1-4 as a unit
Estimated Sediment Load,
Areas 1-8 as a unit
621 tons/year
2,115 tons/year
0.66 tons/acre-year
0.65 tons/acre-year
-------
USMA reservation. Should actual loads be very low it may indi-
cate that the Stiff diagram produces better values, but for now
we are once again chosing parameter values on the high side of
their range.
7.2.3 Sediment Yield Estimation
Substitution of the parameters discussed above and sum-
marized in Table 7-6 into the Sediment Loading Function (Equation
7-1) result? in the estimated average annual sediment yields from
each of the study area sub-areas.
These sediment loads are also summarized in Table 7-6.
7.2.4 Nitrogen Loading Function
The nitrogen loadings from the eight sub-areas and the
composite sub-areas of the study area have been estimated using
the sum of ercsicn and precipitation nitrogen loads shown below.
These two loads are presented separately in Zison et al. . 1977
(pages 67 & 68) but will be dealt with jointly here.
Y(N) = Y(HT)E + Y(N)pr (7-5)
where:
Y(N) = total nitrogen load from the drainage
basin (ib/year)
Y(NT)P = total, nitrogen load from erosion
h (Ib/year)
Y(N)U = stream nitrogen load from precipitation
Fr (Ib/year)
The nitrogen load from erosion is expressed as:
Y(NT)E = 20- Y(S)E • CS(NT) • rM (7-6)
where:
Y(NT)E = total nitrogen load from erosion (Ib/year)
Y(S)E = sediment load from surface erosion (tons/year)
C0(NT) = total nitrogen concentration of the soil
(g/100g)
r = nitrogen enrichment ratio
59
-------
The nitrogen load from precipitation is expressed as:
Q(OR)
Y(N) - A
where
Q(Pr)
HPT. -0.75
r
(7-7)
Y(N)pr = stream nitrogen load from precipitation
(Ib/year)
A = Basin area (acres)
Q(OR) = overland flow from precipitation (in/year)
Q(Pr) = total precipitation (in/year)
Up = nitrogen load in precipitation (ib/acre-year)
Substituting equations 7-6 and 7-7 into equation 7-5 yields
the function of total nitrogen load in its most basic terms.
7.2.5 Nitrogen Parameter Estimation
Each of the parameters comprising the nitrogen loading
function is evaluated and discussed in this section. Parameter
values are summarized in Table 7-7.
7-2.5.1 Sediment Load, Y(S)E
The sediment load in tVie nitrogen function is sinply the
value calculated by the sediment loading fxinction (Section 7.2.3)
and summarized in Table 7-6.
7.2.5.2 Nitrogen Concentration of the Soil, Cg(NT)
The value of the nitrogen concentration of the soil is an
expression of the percent by weight oi the native soil of an area
that is nitrogen. This information was unavailable for the West
Point area (Vinar, pernonal ^cmDiunicntlon) . The nitrogen concen-
.tration map (Zison et al. . 1977, page 70) was utilized instead.
The map values are generalized as to location and are based on
dp.ta more than 30 years old (Hesson, 1977, page 14-15) and are
only an approximation. The map value of Cp{NT) used in the study
is 0.15 g/100g. a
N
7.2.5.3 Nitrogen Enrichment Ratio, r
The nitrogen enrichment ratio is the term in the nitrogen
loading function that•accounts for the tendency of the soil
closer to the surface, and thus more susceptible to erosion to
have a higher concentration of nitrogen than the total soil
column. We were unable to obtain a local value for this
parameter. We have chosen r^ to be 3-0 which is midway in the
range of reported values (Zison e_t al. , page 68).
60
-------
7.2.5.4 Basin Area, A
The basin area is used ir. the nitrogen loading function to
multiply by the nitrogen load in precipitation (which is in
Ib/p.cre-year) to yield the weight of nitrogen that is spread over
the drainage basin by precipitation (ib/year). The total area of
each sub-area Is used (lake and soil area) and not Just the soil
surface area.
7.2.5.5 Overland Flow fron Precipitation, Q(OR)
The overland flow from precipitation is best found from a
series of stream flow recorders where overland flow may be
calculated frorr. the recorded hycirographs. Our flow stations are
in the earliest stages of operation or in some cases not yet
operational. We, therefore, will use a regional average of 14.6
percent of rainfall as direct runoff (Likens et al., 1977)
yielding a runoff of 6.86 inches.
7.2.5-6 Total Precipitation, Q(Pr)
The average rainfall in the West Point area is 47 inches per
year (Section 4-4). This is used as the annual precipitation for
each of the sub-areas in this study. The ratio:
Q(OR)
QlPrT
is then 0.146 for all sub-areas.
7.2.5.7 Nitrogen Load in Precipitation, Npr
The nitrogen load in precipitation is nothing more than the
effective contribution of nitrogen from precipitation that is
deposited on each acre of the watershed per year. This may be
found by locating the stud/ area on a map of annual nitrogen load
in precipitation in the U.S. (Zison et al.. 1977, page 75) or by
applying locally available data. The nitrate concentration in
local rain about 0.87 mg/1 with little or no other nitrogen
wpecies present (Robertson e_t. al. . 1979). This is equivalent to
a Npr value of 2.1 Ib/acre-year using the average annual precipi-
tation of 47 in<"hes. This corresponds almost exactly with the
value 2.0 l.b/r..: re-year taken from Zison et al. ' 3 map (1977, page
75).
7.2.6 Nitrogen Yield Estimation
Substitution of the parameters derived above (summarized in
Table 7-7) into the Nitrogen Loading Function (Equation 7-5)
results in the estimated average annual nitrogen yields for each
of the sub-areas. Also presented are those portions of the
nitrogen loads attributed to erosion and to precipitation. The
contribution to total nitrogen load from precipitation is small
compared to that from erosion ( % 5# of total load). For a rough
approximation to total load the small precipitation input could
be ignored.
61
-------
TABLE 7-7. NITROGEN SUMMARY
ru
Parameters
Sediment Load,
Y(S)E, tons/year
H Conc'n in Soil,
CS(HT), g/100g
N Enrichment
Ratio, r ,
Ditnensionless
Basin Area, A,
Acres
Overland Flow
From Precip. ,
Q(OR), in/year
Total Precip.
Q(Pr), in/year
N Load, Precip.
HPr, Ib/acre-year
N From Erosion,/
Ib/year /
N From Erosion,
Ib/acrexyear
f
N From Precip.
Ife/year
1
75
0.15
i
, 3.0
\
162
6.9.
47
2.1
675
5.2
37.5
£_
120
0.15
3.0
186
6.9
47
2.1
1 ,080
5.8
43-0
3
135
0.15
3-0
265
6.9
47
2.1
1,215
4.9
61 .3
4
291
0.15
3.0
381
5.9
47
2.1
2,619
6.9
88.1
Sub-areas
5 6
243
0.15
3.0
435
6.9
47
2.1
2,187
5-3
100.6
250
0.15
3.0
58C
6.9
47
2.1
2,250
3-9
134.1
7
459
0.15
3.0
548
6.9
47
2.1
4,131
7.7
126.7
8 1-4 1-8
542
0.15
3.0
921
6.9
47
2.1
4,878 5,589 19, 03'
6.3 5.9 5.'
213.0 230.0 804.'
-------
TAPLE 7-7. Continued
CT>
CO
Parameters Sub-areas
1 23456781-41-8
N Prom Preoip.
Ib/acre-year 0.23 0.23 0.23 0.23 0.23 0.23 0.23 0.23 0.23 0..?3
Total N Load,
Ib/year 712 1,123 1,276 2,707 2,287 2,354 4,257 5,091 5,819 19,8?9
Total N Load,
Ib/acre-year - 5-5 6.0 5-1 7-1 5-6 4.1 7.9 6.6 6.2 6.1
-------
7.2.7 Phosphorus Loading Function
The phosphorus loadings from the eight sub-areas and the
composite sub-areas of the study area will be estimated uni.ig the
phosphorus loading function below (Zison et_ al., 1977, pages 76
and 77):
Y(PT) = 20 ' Y(S)E ' CS(PT) ' rp (7-9)
where:
Y(PT) = total phosphorus loading (Ib/year)
Y(S)E = sediment load from surface erosion
(tons/year)
Co(PT) =total phosphorus concentration of the soil
b (g/100g)
r = phosphorus enrichment ratio
7.2.8 Phosphorus Parameter Estimation
Each of the parameters comprising the phosphorus loading
function is evaluated and discussed in this section. Parameter
values are summarized in Table 7-8.
7.2.8.1 Sediment Load, Y(S)E
Sediment is assumed to be the major vehicle by which
phosphorus, as was nitrogen, is carried from the land surface to
receiving waters. The sediment load in the phosphorus loading
function is that calculated previously (Section 7-2.3) and
nunmerized in Table 7-6.
7.2.8.2 Phosphorus Concentration of the Soil, Cg(PT)
The phosphorus concentration of the soil is the percent of
soil weight that is phosphorus. These data were unavailable
(Vinar, personal communication) and we used a generalized nation-
wide map (Zison et al., 1977, page 78). From this map it was
determined that our study area should have a P205 concentration
of about 0.15 g/IOOg in the top foot of soil. This converts to a
phosphorus concentration of 0.07 g/1COg (as P) in the soil.
7.2.8.3 Phosphorus Enrichment Ratio, rp
This term, similar to that for ni'trogen, is intended to
account for the tendency of the soil at the surface to have
higher concentrations of phosphorus than the general soil column.
The average reported value of 1.5 was used as our enrichment
ratio (Zison et al., 1977, page 79).
-------
TABLE 7-8. PHOSPHORUS SUMMARY
Parameter? Sub-areas
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 81-41-6
Sediment Lead,
Y(S)£, tons/year 73 120 135 291 243 250 459 542
P Conc'n in Soil
Cg(PT), g/100g 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07
P Enrich. Ratio,
r , Dimen'less 1.5 1.5 1-5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5
f
Total P Load,
Ib/year 158 252 284 611 510 525 964 1138 1305 4442
Total P Lo&d,
Ib/acre-year 1.22 1.35 1.14 1.61 1.25 0.91 1.79 1.47 1.38 1.37
-------
7.2.9 Phosphorus Yield Estimation
Substitution of the parameters discussed above and sum-
marized in Table 7-8 into the Phosphorus Loading Function
(Equation 7-9) results in the estimated average annual phosphorus
yields from each of the study area sub-areas. These phosphorus
loads are summarized in Table 7-8.
7.2.10 Organic Matter Loadinp. Function
The organic matter loading from the sub-areas in the study
area will be estimated using the loading function published by
Tetra Tech, Inc. (Zison et al. . 1977, page 00) shown below:
Y(OM)E = 20 . Cs(0;<) - Y(S)E • rOM (7-10)
where:
Y(OM)j7 = organic matter loading (ib/year)
Co(OM) = organic matter concentration of the soil
(g/100g)
Y(S)E =sediment loading from surface erosion
(tons/year)
OM
= organic matter enrichment ratio
7.2.11 Organic Matter Parameter Estimation
The parameters of the organic matter loading function w511
each be evaluated and discussed in this section.
7.2.11.1 Organic Hatter Concentration of the Soil, CS(OM)
An approximate value of 20 • Cc(NT) is assumed for the
organic concentration of the soil (Zison ejt al.. 1977, page 80).
CS(OM) for all areas is then 3.0 g/100g of soil.
7.2.11.2 Sediment Load from Surface Erosion, Y(S)E
This terra has bsen discussed previously and is summarized in
Table 7-6.
7.2.11.3 Organic Matter Enrichment Ratio, rOM
The organic enrichment ratio, like those for nitrogen and
phosphorus, is an indication of organic matter in the top layers
of the soil. Values of rQM are reported as ranging from 1 to 5.
The median value of 2.5 has' been used as an estimate for our
study area.
66
-------
7.2.12 Organic Matter Yield Estimation
Substitution of the parameters discussed above into the
Organic Matter Loading Function (Equation 7-10) results in the
estimated average annual organic matter yielos for each of the
sub-areas. These loadings are summarized in Table 7-9-
TABLE 7-9. ESTIMATED ORGANIC MATTER LOADS
Sub-areas
1
2
3
4
1-4
5
6
7
8
1-8
Ib/year
11,250
18,000
20,250
43,650
93,150
36,450
37,500
68,850
81 ,300
317,250
Organic Matter
Ib/acre-year
86.5
96.8
81 .0
114.9
98.5
89.1
64.7
127.5
105-3
97.7
7.2.13 Nonpoint Load Summary
Based on the published loading functions (Zison et al..
1977) estimates were made of the average annual loads of
sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter contributed
from each of eight sub-areas of the West Point Study Area. These
estimated loads have been presented above (Tables 7-6, 7-7, 7-8,
and 7-5) and are summarized in Table 7-10 for the entire study
area (sub-areas 1 through 8) and for the four southern sub-areas
as a whole (sub-areas 1 through A]•
As discussed in Section 7.2.2.2 it is possible to break down
these annual loads into monthly values. This has been done for
the estimated loads of the entire watershed (sub-areas 1 through
8) and is shown as Figure 7-5- The same breakdown can be made
for each of the sub-areas simply by assigning the appropriate
percent of annual load to each month; these percentages are
constant for all loadings and nub-areas. Little would be gained
by presenting these figures here, thus they are omitted.
67
-------
SEDIMENT
N P OM
CD
z
3
5OO-
4.OO-
3OO-
200-
100-
W
ee
0
z
^J
H* '
0,5
0.10
-0.05
1 l%! 1%
SEOIMENT ' JAN*
2%
MAR
4%
10%
23'/.
22%
10%
8%
MAY JUL SEP NOV
MONTHS
<-»
CD
4500-
3000-
1000-
yj
ce
u
• 5
.j d
•1.5
IOOC-
•I.O
500-
•05
e/ACRt)
)
" J
0.35"
75OOO-
•0.3
50OOO-
•0.2
.^5000-
.B/ACRE)
-J
25
•20
15
•10
•5
N P OM
Figure 7-5- Predicted Monthly Nonpoint Loads for the West Point Study Area (Sub-Areas
1-8 as a unit).
-------
TABLE 7-10. SUMMARY OP PREDICTED NONPOINT LOADS FROM THE WEST
POINT STUDY AREA USING THE METHOD OF ZISON et al., 1977
Entire Study
Southern Area Area
(sub-areas 1-4) (sub-areas 1-8)
Sediment, tons/year
Sediment, tons/acre-year
Nitrogen, Ib/year
Nitrogen, Ib/acre-year
Phosphorus, Ib/year
Phosphorus, Ib/acre-year
Organic Matter, Ib/year
Organic Matter, Ib/acre-year
621
0.66
5,818
6.1
1,305
1 .38
93,150
98.5
2,115
0.65
19,839
6.1
4,442
1 .37
317,250
97.7
7.3 LAKE WATER QUALITY PREDICTION
The impoundments models found in the screening method (Zison
et al.. 1977, chapter 5) will be useti to attempt prediction of
thermal stratification, sediment accumulation, and eutrophication
of the lakes in the study area. Additionally, predictions of
dissolved oxygen will be attempted for selected lakes.
7.3.1 Thermal Stratification
Plots of theoretical thermal profiles at 10 locations in the
United States for various impoundment depths, hydraulic residence
times, and degrees of mixing are presented in the model (Zison et
al.. 1977, Appendix E). The method of predicting lake stratifi-
cation is to first choose the location which best matches the
meteorologic characteristics of the area to be modeled and to
then find the set of thermal profiles whose physical parameters
most closely approach the lake to be modeled. When no single
location or set of profiles matches the lake to be modeled, the
prediction takes the form of two or more sets of thermal profiles
that become boundaries within which the actual lake profiles
should fall.
The West Point Study Area at latitude 41-3°N is bounded in
latitude by plots for Salt Lake City, Utah and Burlington,
Vermont at 40.8°N and 44.5°N, respectively. A comparison of
meteorologic factors such as air temperature, wind speed, and
cloud cover indicates that our study area resembles these two
69
-------
locr.tions about equally. Since the purpose of the study is to
evaluate the applicability of the model, we will continue with
both sets.
The next step is to find the thermal profiles at Salt Lake
City and Burlington that most closely approach those of the West
Point lakes in the parameters of maximum depth, hydraulic res-
idence time, and degree of mixing. The model thermal profiles
have lake depths of 20, 40, 75, 100, and 200 feet. Since we are
already bounding lake thermal predictions by two modeled
locations, we have chosen a specific set of profiles based on
depth, residence time, and mixing. Study area lake parameters
are summarized in Table 7-11 along with the depth of model
profile chosen for each.
The mean hydraulic residence time (T ) is estimated as the
total lake volume (V) divided by the mean' inflow rate ('3). Table
7-11 summarizes the volume, flow rate, and residence time of the
study area lakes. " The mode] residence times chosen from those in
Zison et al., 1977 (10, 30, 7^, 250, and infinite days) for the
individual study area, lakes are also shown. Lake mixing charac-
teristics are primarily determined in the West Point area by the
surface winds. The lakes in the study area are not well pro-
tected from the wind and thus wiDl be modeled as having maximum
nixing.
On the basis of the parameters discussed above, two sets of
thermal profiles have been chosen to model each West Point lake.
These profiles are shown with actual thermal profiles for Summit
Lake, Bull Pond, and Lake Popolopen in Figures 7-6, 7-7, and 7-8.
The thermal profiles for Burlington and Salt Lake City are
nearly identical for similar depth, residence time, end degree of
mixing. Many of the actual thermal profiles at West Point are
closely approximated by the model profiles. In general the
p.ctual hypolimnion is closer to the surface than the model
hypolimnion predicted and the actual thermocline has a more rapid
temperature change with depth. This indicated to us that the
real lakes may not be as well mixed as we assumed for modeling
purposes. The actual Bull Pond profile and the Burlington
profile (assuming maximum mixing) were replotted with a second
Burlington profile assuming minimum mixing (Figure 7-9). The
actual Bull Pond profile is well bounded in most cases by the two
theoretical profiles at Burlington. Where the two model profiles
differ, the actual profile tends to be closer to the model
profile assuming minimum mixing.
It may be that the West Point lakes should all have been
modelled assuming less mixing. A better set of boundaries may
result by using the two mixing conditions rather than the two
70
-------
TABLE 7-11. LAKE MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS
Lake
Summit
Barnes
Bull Pond
Georgina
Popolopen
Beaver Pond
Actual
Depth
(feet)
28
13
64
17
32
6
Model
Depth
(feet)
40
20
75
20
40
20
V
Volume
(106 ft3)
13.0
4.7
20.4
2.4
72.8
;' 1-3
Q
Mean inflow
(10"ft3/day)
3.8
14.3
10.4
1 -4
81 .7
12.9
Tw
Actual
Residence
Time
(days)
3:59
33
196
171
89
10
w
Model
Residence
Time
(days)
250
30
250
250
75
10
a. Based on 50^ of annual rainfall becoming runoff. Averaged over the entire year.
From U.S.G.S. regional stream flow data in southern New York (Bernard Dunn, personal
communication). ,
b. Based on total lake volume.
-------
MAR
APR
4-
8-
12
e
4-
8-
1:
i:
V.
i
\
f
MAY
JUN
4-
8
12.
OIO2O30 oib 20 so oi'o 2'o 30 ' o 10 20 30
JUL AUG SEP OCT
8
12
8'
4-
8
12
01020 30 0 102030 0 IO2O 30 O 10 2fO 30
8
12
8
0102030 0 10 20 30
TEMP,»C
—-—FROM BURLINGTON,VT
* . . • « FROM SALT LAKE CITY, UT
ACTUAL SUMMIT LAKE
PROFILES, JUL'77- MAR'78
Figure 7-6. Comparison of Summit Lake Thermal Profiles with
Model Estimates.
-------
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
8-!
16,
24
8
16
24
8-
16-
24
24
0 IX) 2b 30 0 (0 20 30 O it) 20 30 0 l'0 20 30
JUL « AUG _. SEP _ OCT
UJ
O 16-1
24
16-
24
8-
16-
24
8
16-
24
0 10 20 0 10 20 0 10 20 30 O 102030
NOV DEC
8
16-
24
8
16
24.
0 102030 0 10 2*0 30
— —FROM BURLINGTON, VT
FROM SALT LAKE CITY.UT
ACTUAL BULL POND
PROFILES MAY*77-APR'78
Figure 7-7. Comparison of Bull Pond Thermal Profiles with Model
Estimates.
73
-------
MAR APR MAY JUN
\J
4.
8-
1 9
1
1*
n
1
1
1
I
I
1
4.
8-
) :
| •
i:
f
i
u
4-
8-
f
t
t
/
r
4-
8-
4
*
y
/
r
"0 i'O 2'0 30 0 I'O 2O 30 "O IO 2'0 30 fc'0 IO 2'0 3C
JUL . AUG . SEP . OCT
\/
«B
.4.
X
Q.
W «
0 8
19
J
V
V
J
ft
*»
c
4.
8
l«\
^
i
e
A
II
•
•J
w
4.
8-
• *«
j
J
r
• '
1
u
4.
8-
• «^
d
u
a
1
f
r
*:
'"0 10 2'0 30 lfcO I'O 2'0 30 "0 10 20 30 "o 10 2*0 3C
- NOV ^ DEC
4.
8-
12
j
r-
W
4.
8-
L
p
1*
k
C
——FROM BURLINGTON;
FROM SALT LAKE Cl
ACTUAL POPOLOPEN
0102030 0 I'O 20 30
TEMP,»C
Figure 7-8. Comparison of Popolopen Lake Thermal Profiles with
Model Estimates.
-------
MAR
APR
MAY
•JUN
8-
16-
24
16-
24
24
8
16-1
0 I'D 2rO 30 010 Z030 0 It) 20 30 0 10 20 30
JUL „ AUG _ SEP . OCT
UJ
O I6H
24
8
Ifr
16
24
8
16-
NOV
8
16-
24
8-
16-
24
102030*0 102030^0102030
DEC
0 10 20 30 0 10 20 30
TEMP.'C
FROM BURLINGTON,VT
MAX MIXING
FROM BURLINGTON,VT
MIN MIXING
ACTUAL BULL POND
PROFILES MAYTT-APR'TS
Figure 7-9. Comparison of Bull Pond Thermal Profiles with Model
Estimates Assuming Varying Degrees of Mixing.
75
-------
locations as boundary condition1-. A rigorous application of the
model would result in an approximation by 12 theoretical
profiles, two sets for euch of two locations (two for depth, two
for mixing, and two for residence time).
7.3.2 Sediment Accumulation
Two model methods will be applied to the West Point lakes to
model the long term accumulation of sediment. The first of these
methods consists of making, an impoundment sedimentation estimate
based on locally reported data by searching a set of reservoir
sedimentation surveys (Appendix P, Zison et gl.., 1977). The
cecond involves calculating accumulation based on inflow and lake
volume.
Six New York reservoirs were found in the surveys. One of
these (V/appinger Creek) is physically located less than 20 miles
north of West Point. All six New York reservoirs are on streams
cutting through areas underlain by sedimentary rock and which
primarily support farming. The West Point study area is on
crystalline metanorphic and igneous rocks and is primarily
forestland. One would expect larger amounts of sediment in the
six reported reservoirs than would be found at West Point.
However, if our study area were experiencing sedimentation at the
same rate as the worst case of the six New York reservoirs
(Patterson Creek, 1.09 tons/watershed acre-year), then no lake at
West Point would be accumulating sediment at a rate faster than
0.05 feet per year. Such slow rates, if evenly distributed over
the lake hoitoci, would be undetectable to us in the short tine we
have been investigating them.
The second estimate of sediment accumulation involves
application of the following equation.
St = SjP (7-11)
where:
St = weight of sediment trapped per time period
S, = sediment transport rate (weight per time
period)
P = trap efficiency (expressed as n decimal)
The sedimentation rate, S<, is derived using either measured
or estimated sediment transport (nonpoint Sediment Loading
Function, Equation 7-1). The trap efficiency is determined from
a graph based on the ratio of lake volume to inflow (Zison et
al.. , 1977; Figure V-7). Substitution into Equation 7-11 yields
estimated sedimentation rates for the lakes in the West Point
Study Area. Sediment lost to sedimentation in upstream lakes
76
-------
c
NON-POINT
LOAD
V
NON-POINT
LOAD
213
c
LAKE CEORCIMA
BULL POND
1
SEDIMENTATION
29
SEDIMENTATION
208
NON-POINT
LOAD
75
SUMMIT LAKE
I
NON-POINT
LOAD
299
^
BARNES LAKE
k.
>>•<
NON-POINT
LOAD
1089
NON-POINT
LOAD
459
'<
POPOLOPEN LAKE
SEDIMENTATION
74
1
SEDIMENTATION
218
I
SEDIMENTATION
1176
BEAVER POND
SEDIMENTATION
EXITS
STUDY AREA
89
Figure 7-10.
Sediment Routing, West Point Study Area..
(units are tons/year)
-------
TABLE 7-12. ESTIMATED SEDIMENTATION RATES
co
Lake
Summit
Barnes
Bull Pond
Georgina
Popolopen
Beaver Pond
a. From Zison
Volume
(106 ft')
15.0
4.7
20.4
2.4
72.8
1.3
et al., 1977
Inflow
(10s ft'/yr)
14.0
52.3
38.0
5.1
296.1
47.3
(Figure V-7)
Trap
Efficiency3
0.98
0.85
0.97
0.96
0.93
0.70
Sedimentation Rates
tons/yr
74
218
2C8
29
1 ,176
321
ft'/yrb
2,960
8,720
8,320
1 ,160
47,040
13,840
in/yrc
0.03
0.-7
0.11
0.07
0.09
0.42
h. Assumes 50 Ib/ft' (Zison g£ al.. 1977)
c. Assumes uniform distribution on lake bottom
-------
must be subtracted as one works successively downstream (Figure
7-10). Estimated sedimentation rates are shown in Table 7-12.
Note that the model ignores the effect of swamps and marshes on
the sediment load. It is entirely reasonable to assume sedimen-
tation in the swamps.
Such rater of sediment accumulation on the lahe bottoms
would be undetectable except over a very long time. Mo identifi-
able depositional features, such as deltas, have been observed on
these lakes. After a heavy storm, lake waters are light brown
from suspended sediment. This may indicate that sediment is
deposited over the entire lake bottom.
7.?.3 Eutrophicntion
The predicted trophic state of lakes in the West Point area
has been attempted using the Vollenweider relationship (Zison et
al. , 1977, pages 334-342). This model relates the trophic state
of a body of water to mean depth, adjusted hydraulic residence
time, and phosphorus load.
The model assumes that phosphorus is the nutrient which
limits plant gr-wth, rather than nitrogen. The ratio of N to P
should be greater than 10, for this to be true. Actual nutrient
measurements indicate that the TI: P ratio in West Point waters is
much less than 5 (often less than 1) through most of the year.
Cn occasion the ratio reaches as high as 40. At the time of
spring turn-over, the M:P ratio is too low to indicate phosphorus
limitation. No further application of the model was attempted.
7.3.4 Dissolved Oxygen
The dissolved oxygen model presented by Zison Pt_ al . , (1977)
may be used to predict the concentration of dissolved oxygen in
thr hypoliomion of an impoundment at any time from the onset of
thermal stratification to overturn in the fall. In general the
critical time of least dissolved oxygen is just before overturn,
when hypolimnion water has been isolated from surface reaeration
longest and the organic load has consumed the greatest amount of
the initial dissolved or.ygen. The equation for hypolimnion
dissolved oxygen at time t ia:
0=0- AO, -A0n (7-12)
o
where:
0 = dissolved oxygen at time t
0 = initial dissolved oxygen, t=0
79
-------
AO. = dissolved oxygen decrease due to benthic
demand
AO = dissolved oxygen decrease due to hypolim-
c nion BOD
The benthic demand is expressed a&:
k C -k t\ / K C *\ /* \ / -(k +k
r - s S5Y-e *
where:
L = steady-state loading of BOD on lake bottom
S S t
D = lake depth, meters
C = steady-state loading cf BOD in hypolimnion
S S
k = BOD settling rate onto lake bottom, day
S
k = mean rate of decay of EOD in hypolimnion,
1 day
k = benthic decay rate, day
it
In evaluating these parameters we fcu-id that very few water
samples had any sediment settle even after severpl weeks. What
sediment was observed was fudged to be mineral rather than
organic. Based on these observations we concluded that dissolved
substances or unsettleable particles were the cause of any BOD.
The value of k is either zero or so small as to be negligible
and s
/L
AO. = _iil1-e
\D
However: x
I-ss = ksCssD
is used to e1.;*1' • ate'the benthic BOD 3oad prior to stratification.
Since ks is ?•• :. or so very small as to be neg.Mble in our
Judgement the'above estimation of initial bentt ic leirand becomes
zero. The effect of this assumption will be exol
-------
Making the above assumptions 0». reduces TO:
V = °o -
• The value of AO is:
c
But since k,,=0, then:
-k t
A0c = Css (1~e '
and: c ss
-kit>
°t = °o * Css <1-e )
An examination of study area lake data showed that only one
lake, Bull Pond, has a potential problem of DO depletion. All
other lakes are too shallow to maintain a hypolimnion through the
entire summer. The evaluation of hypolimnion DO in Bull Pond
consists of finding values for Oo, Css, and k for that lake and
solving for Ot through the period of interest (Hay-August).
Water samples taken in mid May 1979 (just before stratification^
were analysed and yielded the following parameter values:
0Q = 10.2 mg/1
C: = 1.3 mg/1
o o •
k (at 5°C) = 0.052 day
The value of k, was found by applying the relationship below to
the laboratory kt found at 20°C.
"„ m = K n • 1 •
l»T i,20°C
where:
T = the temperature of the lake water, (5°C).
The laboratory kt ?QCC was °-1°4. The equation for Pull Pond
hypolimnion DO is'then:
Ofc = 10.2 - 1.3 (l_e-0-°52t)
Values for Ot from t=0 to 120 days are shown in Figure 7-11. It
..may bo seen then that essentially all BOD initially in the
.A.^^r-ij — j— at stratification is exerted in 90 days. Based on
81
-------
Q 8.6
20
40 60
DAYS
80
100
120
1.4
Q
UJ 0.8
j 0.6
X
UJ Q.4
Q
O
CD
0.2
0
20
40 60
DAYS
BO
100
Figure 7-11. Hypolimnion Dissolved Oxygen Prediction for Bull
Pond, 1979.
82
-------
stratification in mid Hay the lowest DO will be from mid August
until turnover. This DO should be just under 9-0 mg/1 which
cannot be considered low. Actual water samples taken on 30
August 1979 at the same location and depth as the mid-May samples
showed dissolved oxygen content of 7-9 mg/1 and R.O mg/1 from
replicate amples. These same samples had an average BOD of 0.22
mg/1.
The model formulation (Equation 7-12) ignores settling of
organic material from the epilimnion and metalimnion. The lower
than predicted DO and higher than" expected BOD are consistent
with such an input of material. Another possible source of
disagreement between the predicted and observed values may be
traceable to our assuming thrtt Lss , the benthie BOD load prior to
stratification was zero. If we had assumed L_ was 100 g/m2
(Table V-10, Zison e_t al., 1977) and k on the order of 0.001C6
at 5°C then at 90 days AO^ would be 0.7 mg/1 of DO decrease in
addition to that already predicted assuming kg=0. This would
bring the predicted DO at 90 days to 8.2 mg/1, in better agree-
oent with the observed. We believe the model has predicted DO
content satisfactorily and can be considered validated fcr Bull
Pond.
-------
SECTION 8
DISCUSSION
8.1 INTRODUCTION
In trying, to apply the Non-designated 208 Area Screening
Method models"(Zison et a1.. 1977) to the West Point Study Area
several problems were encountered:
1. Portions were just not. applicable. In this case, we
went back to the source material to determine whether the
model could be extended to cover our situation within the
limits of the original field studies on which the model was
based, or we searched for an alternate procedure.
2. Portions were presented in an unclear manner, requiring
clarification before we could proceed.
Except for the lake eutrophication model, we hav3 found methods
which allowed the screening methods to be applied to a steeply
sloped forested watershed. At this time insufficient data exist
on the West Point Study Area to allow comparison between the
predictions from the extended Uondeeignated 208 Area Screening
Method and actual field data. Chemical and hydrological data
collection now in progress in sub-areas 1 through 4 should allow
this comparison to be made in the next year.
8.2 WASTE LOADING PREDICTIONS FROM NCTTPGINT SOURCES
Parameter estimation for use in the Universal Soil Loss
Equation was the biggest problem encountered, although ill-
defined procedures for determining slope length and drainage
density caused some difficulty. Those are discussed below.
8.2.1 Rainfall Factor. R
This average annual quantity ia obtainable from maps pre-
sented in the model (Zison et al., 1977). When searching for a
method whereby Iroal data could be used to calculate R, we found
a much clearer map In Agriculture Handbook 557 (U.S. Department
of Agriculture, 1978). This map has county boundaries within a
-------
state and allows roo.'e accurate location of a watershed on the nap
and therefore more accurate selection of an R value. Replacement
of the current map by the Wischmeier and Smith (1965) map is
recommended.
8.2.2 Topographic Factor, LS
The graph for determination of LS values from Zison et_ al.
(1977) was not applicable to the West Point Study Area. Two
replacement procedures were found:
1. Equations for the determination of LS on irregular
slopes (Poster and Wischmeier, 1973).
2. Equations supplemented by graphs for determination of LS
in Forested Areas (Forest Service, 1978).
It is not clear from the first (Foster and Wischmeier, 1973)
whether the range of slopes covers the up to the 60 degree slopes
needed for West Point. In use, the method is cumbersome and
fraught with nossibilities for errors. The second method (Forest
Service, 1978) is *• slight improvement on the first, reducing the
number of calculations because of Figure 7-2. Many calculations
are still necessary to obtain an average LS value for an area.
Both methods produce comparable LS values for the West Point
slopes. It is not clear whether the Forest Service method (1978)
is based on new field data, for high slopes, or is an extension of
the Foster and Wischmeier (1973) work which does not present any
limitation to the range of applicability.
Both the Foster and Wischmeier (1973) and Forest Service
(1978) methods require a determination of slope length as pointed
out in Section 7.2.2.4. The Zison ot_ al. model needs clarifica-
tion on how this parameter should be determined. As shown in
Table 7-2 the slope length picked nakes a significant d'fference
in the value of LS computed. Our procedure of defining slope
length as the distance from a ridgeline or hilltop downhill to a
stream, lake, or wetland as shown on a 1:25,000 topographic map
or to a steep narrow valley or draw, also on the map, which
probably contained a "well-defined channel" will produce an LS
value on the high sido of that produced by measurements from
aerial photography, larger scale maps, or field measurement. We
believe this is adequate since the Nondesignated 208 Area
Screening Methods (Zison et al_._, 1977) are meant to point up
possible pollution problem areas for further investigation or
modeling by more rigorous methods.
8.2.3 Ercsjon Control Practice Factor, P
The fcison et al., (1977) model needs clarification on the
use of this factor. Setting its value to 1.0 as we did in our
calculations effectively eliminates the factor from the
85
-------
calculation. Clearly, use could be made of the factor to distin-
guish between clear cut, strip cut, selective cut, and undis-
turbed forested areae. Use ccnld also be made to reflect logging
road placement, and irethods for log removal from a forest. Our
lack of experience in this area does not allow us to suggest
values for P for these various forest erosion control practices.
8.2.4 Sediment Delivery Ratio. Sd
As presented in the Nondesignated 208 Screening Method,
calculation of sedirasnt delivery ratio is diroctly dependent on
the determination of drainage density. A clarification is needed
in the procedures to standardize how drainage density will be
calculated. Our work with 1:7,500 and 1:25,OOC scale maps shows
that a significant difference in drainage density can result by
choice of scale (Table 7-4). This difference does not translate
to significant differences in sediment delivery ratio, however
(Table 7-5). It seems logical to standardize on the v 3 of the
more readily available 1:24,000 USGS quadrangles for drainage
density and topographic factor (Section 8.2.2).
We are still concerned about the magnitude of the S^ values
calculated for a forested watershed area compared to what we see
as sediment load in streams, and as deltaic accumulation where
streams enter lakes. It may be that we are focusing too closely
on S^ when the other factors in the universal soil loss equation
will limit sediment production to a very low value which is then
multiplied by what we consider a high sediment delivery ratio
yielding a low sediment load prediction. Validation of the
extended model based on measured sediment loads is definitely
needed. The low sediment delivery index produced by the Forest
Service model (1978) more closely approximates what we feel is
actually occuring on our watershed. Validation of the models
with the Forest Service SDI (1978) replacing S, should be
considered.
8.3 IS EXTENSION OF ZISON et al., 1977 TO FORESTS NECESSARY?
In several instances to make the 'Nondesignated 208 Area
Screening Method (Zison et al., 1977) work on the West Point
Study Area, we have turned to the Forest Service (1978) WRENSS
model and borrowed pieces to patch up difficulties in the former
model. Which is the better model, the patched up 208 Screening
Method or the WRENSS? The WRENSS model was developed for
forested areas and probably should be used for large forested
watersheds in preference to the 208 Screening Method. The
Nondesignated 208 Screening Method was meant to identify problem
areas in large regions, portions of which may contain forests.
It should contain procedures to allow modeling of forested areas
or incorporate the WRENSS procedures for this purpose. A com-
parison of the ease of use of the two procedures, and comparison
86
-------
with field data are needed to decide whether WR'ENSS procedures or
patched up Nondesignated 208 Area procedures :'.s the better .
alternative.
8.4 THE IMPOUNDMENT MODELS
The impoundment models were applied without modification.
The thermal profile predictions for lakes of various depths and
residence times can be said to be validated for The West Point
Study Area, although we could have used better guidance in the
procedures on how to decide whether our lakes were well mixed.
These procedures could easily be applied with confidence to other
lakes in The Hudson Highlands with confidence. For existing
impoundments, the data requirements for their use, however, are
such that we think many modelers would be prevented from using
the prediction, finding it easier and cheaper to measure a
thermal profile than to obtain data necessary to compute lake-
volume and residence time. For planned impoundments, the design-
ers would know volumes and easily predict residence time.
The sedimentation rate prediction is easily applied but is
only as good as the nonpoint source sediment yield predictions
discussed above (Section 8.2.4). When the best predictive method
for forested areas is determined, then a closer look at the
sediment accumulation prediction can be made.
The impoundment eutrophication predictions in the
Nondesignated 208 Area Screening Method (Zison et al.. 1977) will
indicate a eutrophication problem only in phosphorus limited
situations. The procedures should be expanded to allow predic-
tion in nitrogen limiting and situations in which neither
controls. The stream models in Zison et al., (1977, Section 4.5)
have provision for this and perhaps could be expanded to lakes.
The dissolved oxygen model gives a reasonable approximation
for DO levels during the mid-summer maximum stress period.
Assuming ks=0, yields a DO prediction higher than observed and
can lead one to conclude, as we did, that the benthic DO demand
prior to stratification is zero. This is not reasonable for any
lake, and in our test at Bull Pond yielded a difference between
actual and predicted DO. levels of almost 1.0 mg/1. In lakes with
higher levels of decaying organic matter the difference would be
greater. Table V-10 (Zison et al.f 1977) should be used in
preference to Equation 7-13 for assigning an Lss value. The
assumption, based on observations at Bull Pond, that ks=0 appears
justified in other parts of the model. Again this works well for
Bull Pond, but in other lakes with higher settable BOD rate, it
will lead to a prediction error.
87
-------
REFERENCES
Bennett, R.S., 1972. Cutthroat Flume Discharge Relations. Water
Management Technical Report No. 16, Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Braun, E.L., 1974. Deciduous Forests of. Eastern North America.
The Free Press, Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., New York.
Facsimile of the Edition of 1950.
Buchanan, T.J., and W.P. Soraers, 1969a. Stage Measurement at
Gaging Stations. Chapter A7, Book 3» Techniques of
Water-Resources Investigations of the United States
Geological Survey"! U.S. Department of Interior, Washington,
D.C.
Buchanan, T.J., ana W.P. Somers, 1969b. Discharge Measurements
at Gaging Stations. Chapter AS, Book 3» Techniq les of
Water-Resources Investigations of the United States
Geological Survey. U.S. Department of Interior, Washington,
D.C.
Bureau of Reclamation, 1975- Water Measurement Manual. Second
Edition, Revised Reprint, U.S. Department of Interior,
Washington, D.C.
Carter, R.W., and J. Davidian, 1968. General Procedure for
Gaging Streams. Chapter A6, Book 3t Techniques of
Water-Resources Investigations of the United States
Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Interior, Washington,
D.C.
Coats, D.Fi., 1958. Quantitative Geomorpholop.y of Small Drainage
Basins of Southern Indiana. Office of Naval Research,
Technical Report No. 10.
Dodd, R.T., Jr., 1965- Pre-Cambrian Geology of The Pooolopen
Lake Quadrangle, Southeastern New York. Kap and Chart
Series Number 6, New York State Museum and Science Service.
Albany: The University of the State of New York.
Donigian, A.S., Jr., and N.H. Crawford, 1976. Modeling Nonpoint
Pollution from the Land Surface. EPA-600/3-76-083. U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, Georgia.
83
-------
Donigian, A.S., Jr., and U.K. Davis Jr., 1978. User's Manual For
Agricultural Runoff Management (ARM) Model.
EPA-600/3-78-080. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Athens, Georgia.
Donigian, A.S., Jr., D.C. Beyerlein, H.H. Davis, Jr., and N.H.
Crawford, 1977. Agricultural Runoff Management (ARM) Model
Version II: Refinement and Testing. EPA-600/3-77-098.
Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, Georgia.
Engineer Intelligence Division, 1959- Military Geology of The
West Point Area, New York. Engineer Intelligence Study, No.
210. Office of The Chief of Engineers, Washington, D.C.
Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1978. An
Approach to Water Resources Evaluation Nonpoint
Sources-Silviculture (A Procedural Handbook). Environmental
Protection Agency, Athens, Georgia (In press).
Foster, G.R., and W.H. Wischmeier, 1973. Evaluating Irregular
Slopes for Soil Loss Prediction. American Society of
Agricultural Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan, Paper No.
73-227.
Gray, D.H., 1973- Introduction to Hydrology in Handbook on the
Principles of Hydrology- D.M. Gray (Ed.), Water Information
Center, Huntington, N.Y.
Harrington, C., 1975. Statistical Analysis of a Soil-Site Study.
Unpublished MS Thesis, College of Environmental Science and
Forestry, Syracuse, N.Y.
Hesson, J-E., 1977- Prediction of Nonpoint Pollution of Streams
and Rivers, Johns Hopkins University. Available from NTIS
aa AD-A053-326.
Holtan, H.N., N.E. Hinahall, and L.L. Harrold, 1962. Field
Manual for Research in Agricultural Hydrology. SWCD, ARS
Washington, D.C., 214 p-
Hutchinson, G.E., 1957. Geography and Physics of Lakes, Volume
1 , Part 1 , A^ Treatise on Limnology, New York: John Wiley and
Sons, Inc.
Johnson, D., 1932. Geomorphology of the Central Appalachians:
Guidebook 7, 16th International Geologic Congress,
Washington, D.C. 'v
89
-------
Kulin, G., and P.R. Conpton, 1975- A Guir"e to Methods and
Standards for the Measurement of Vacer Flow, National
Technical Information Service, COM-75-10683, Washington,
D.C.
Leopold, L.B., M.G. Wolman, and J.P. Miller, 1964- "Fluvial
Processes ir\ Geomorphology, New Yorl:: W.H. Freeman and Co.
Lind, O.T., 1974. Handbook of Common Methods in Limnology.
Love, K.E., 1950. Storm King Gran"te at Bear Mountain, New York.
Geological Society of America Bulletin 61; 137-190.
McElroy, A.D., S.Y. Chiu, J.W. Nebgen, A. Aleti, and F.W.
Bennett, 1976. Loading Functions for Assessment of Water
Pollution from Nonpoint Sources. EPA-600/2-76-151• U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
McKay, G.A. 1973- Precipitation in Handbook on the Principles of
Hydrology. D.M. Gray (Ed.), Water Information Center, Inc.,
Huntington, N.Y.
National Climatic Center, 1978. Climatclogical Data: New Jersey.
NOAA, Asheville, N.C.
National Climatic Center, 1978, 1979- Olimatological Data: New
York. NOAA, Asheville, N.C.
National Climatic Center, 1978, 1979. Hourly Precipitation Data;
New York. NOAA, Asheville, N.C.
Office of the Engineer, West Point, 1962. Woodland Management
Plan for United States Military Aca.demy. United States
Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District, 1974. Soils
Map, Town of Cornwall. Middletown, N.Y.
Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District, 1974. Soils
Map, Town of Highlands. Middletown, N.Y.
Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District, 1974. Soils
Map, Town of Woodbury. Middletown, N.Y.
Potter Associates, 1944- Report Upon Water Supply and Sewage
Treatment: United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
Alexander Potter Associates, Consulting Engineering, New
York City.
Raup, H.M., 1938. Botanical Studies in the Black Rock Forest.
Black Hock Forest Bulletin 7.
90
-------
Robertson, J.K., R.C. Graham, and T.W. Dolzine, 1979- Chemistry
of Precipitation from Sequentially Sampled Storms.
EPA-60G/4-80-004. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Skogerbee, G.V., R.S. Bennett, and W.R. Walker, 1972.
Installation and Field Use of Cutthroat Flumes for Water
Management. Water Management Technical Report No. 19,
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Soil Conservation Service, 1976. Alphabetical List of New York
Soils with "K", "T", and "T/X" Values for use in the
Universal Soil Loss Equation. Technical Guide, Section
III-1B. Syracuse, N.Y.
Thornbury, W.D., 1965. Regional Geomorphology of_ the United
States. New York: John Wiley and Sons, inc., 609 p.
U.S. Array Topographic Command, 1970. West Point and Vicinity,
1:25,000. Edition 9-TPC Series V821S. Washington, D.C.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1978. Agriculture Handbook 537,
Agriculture Research Service, Washington, D.C.
U.S. Military Academy Orienteering Club, 1978. Base maps
(1:7,500) used to prepare Bull Pond (1:15,000). West Point,
N.Y.
Water Resources Administration, 1973- Technical Guide to Erosion
and Sediment Control Design (Draft). Maryland Department of
Natural Resources, Annapolis, Maryland.
Wisc'.-meier, W.H., 1972. Estimating the Cover and Management
Factor for Undisturbed Areas. Proceedings, USDA Sediment
Yield Workshop. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Oxford.
Mississippi.
Wright, L.E., and K.S. Olsson, 1972. Soils Interpretation Report
for Orange County. Orange County Soil and Water
Conservation District, Middletown, N.Y.
7-ison S.W., K.P. Haven, and W.B. Mills, 1977. Water Quality
Assessment: A Screening Method for Nondesign&ted 208 Areas.
EPA-600/9-77-023- Environmental Protection Agency, Athens,
Georgia.
91
-------
APPENDIX A
Soil Units in the West Point Study Area
(after Wright and Olsson, 1972)
Mapping
Unit
9 Hoosic C-ravellv Fine SanJv Loam
Hoosic soils are well to somewhat excessively drained,
"brownish, strongly to medium acid, medium to moderately
coarse textured soils that formed on glacial outwash
plains, valley trains and related kames, eskers and
water sorted parts of moraines. They occupy nearly
level through very steep slopes. Hoosic soils have 1.5
to 2-5 feet of moderately rapidly permeable gravelly
loam to gravelly sandy loam over rapidly permeable
sorted sands and gravels dominated by slate and shale.
22 Charlton and Narragansett Extremely Stony Soils
Charlton ano Narragansett extremely stony soils are
deep, well drained, strongly acid, moderately coarse to
medium textured soils that formed in glacial till
derived mainly from schist and gneiss. Slope ranges
from level through very steep and runoff is slow
through rapid. The permeability is moderate to moder-
ately rapid. Stones cover approximately 3 to 15 per-
cent of the surface. These soils are mapped together
as an undifferentiated soil group because their differ-
ences are not significant to the purpose of the survey
or to the soil interpretations.
38 Squires Loan
Squires soils are deep, well drained, medium to slight-
ly acid, medium textured soils developed in glacial
till with the admixture of local limestone materials.
They occupy gently sloping through steep glaciated
hills and uplands in limestone areas. Squires soils
have about 2.5 feet of moderately permeable brown loam
or silt loam over a slowly permeable substratum of
light brown silt loam.
63 Charlton Fine Sandy Loam
Charlton soils are deep, well drained, very strongly to
92
-------
strongly acid, moderately coarse to medium textured
soils that formed in glacial till derived mainly from
shist and gneiss. The coarse fragment content ranges
from 5 to 30 percent and the soils are frequently stony
and very stony. These gently sloping through moderate-
ly steep soils are on upland till plains. Permeability
of this soil is moderate and runoff is medium to rapid.
91 Wayland Silt Loam
Wayland soils are deep, poorly drained, neutral to
mildly alkaline, medium textured soils formed in neu-
tral or calcareous recent alluvium. They occupy nearly
level areas or depressions on flood plains or streams
receiving erosion from uplands that contain some cal-
careouo materials. Wayland soils have 3 to 5 feet of
moderately permeable silt loam or coarse silty clay
loam over stratified alluvial sediments consisting of
layers of sands, silts, clays and gravel. The surface
is high in organic matter.
94 Carlisle Muck
Carlisle soils are organic soils developed in well
decomposed woody organic deposits more than 51 inches
thick. They occupy bogs within lake plains, outwash
plains, till plains find moraines. This soil has a
substratum of organic material to a depth of 144
inches.
96 Palms Muck
Palms soils are vsry poorly drained, medium to slightly
acid organic soils developed from highly decomposed
herbaceous materials over a loamy mineral substratum.
They occupy levc? to nearly level lake and till plains.
Palms soils have 1.5 to 4 feet of black organic ma-
terial underlain by grayish clay loam to fine sandy
loam.
025 Scribe-Sun Extremely Stony Association
Scriba-Sun extremely stony association is deep, some-
what poorly through very poorly drained, medium to
moderately coarse texture upland soil that formed in
glacial till derived from gray and brown quartzite and
sandstone. Slope ranges from level to gently sloping
and runoff is slow. Permeability is very slow due to a
dense hardpan at 12 inches. This unit has approximate-
ly 3 to 15 percent of the surface covered with stones
larger than ten inches in diameter. This soil complex
is separated because of the high percentage of.atones.
In this unit both Scriba and Sun soils occur in such an
intricate pattern that they cannot be mapped
separately. The soil profiles, of each are similar to
that described .for their resoective series.
93
-------
026 Alden _and Sun Extremely Stony Soils
Alden and Sun extremely stony soils are poorly to very
poorly drained soils. They are the same as the Sun
(26) soils except for the stony conditions. The limi-
tation ratings for the Sun soils should be used with
consideration given to the stony conditions.
070 Hollis Rocky Association
Hollis rocky association is shallow excessively drained
to well drained, moderately coarse to medium textured
soils formed in low lying glacial till dominated by
granite materials. The slope ranges from gently slop-
Ing through steep and runoff is moderate to rapid.
Bedrock outcropfings generally occupies from 2 to 10
percent of the surface, but there are small areas in
which the bedrock is considerably deeper. As this
association occurs mainly in heavily wooded and moun-
tainous areas, it is impossible to map in as much
detail as regular mapping units.
071 Roll is Rook Outcrop Association
Hollis Rock Outcrop association is shallow, excessively
drained, moderately coarse textured soil formed in low
lime glacial till dominated by granitic materials. The
slope ranges from gently sloping through very steep and
runoff is rapid. Bedrock outcropping generally occu-
pies 90 percent or better of the surface. The shallow
Hollis soils occupies 10 percent of the area and the
rock outcrop occupies 90 percent of the area. As this
association occurs mainly i •; heavily wooded and moun-
tainous areas, it is impossible to map in as much
detail as regular mapping units.
-------
APPENDIX B
Soil Profile - Hollis Series
Location: Town of Tuxedo, 200 yards south of New York 210, 1/4 of
mile east of 1-87, on New York 210.
02 3 to 0 inches, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) loose
decomposed roots, sticks, and leaves; strongly acid; clear smooth
boundary.
A1 0 to 4 inches, dark brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly loam;
moderate medium granular structure; very friable; many roots; few
pores; 15 percent gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
B2 4 to 14 inches, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) gravelly
loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; fiable; many
roots; common pores; 20 percent gravel; strongly acid; abrupt
smooth boundary.
R 14 inches, hard gray granitic bedrock.
Range in Characteristics;
Solum thickness and depth to bedrock ranges from 10 to 20
inches. Coarse fragments range from 5 to 2? percent. Textures
range from sandy loam through loam. Reaction ranges f:';m
strongly acid to very strongly acid. The A1 horizon has color of
10YR hue, 2 through 4 value, and 2 or 3 chroma. The B horizon
has color of 10YR to 7.5YR hue, 4 or 5 values, and 5 through 8
chroma. Consistency ranges from friable to very friable.
Exposed rock outcrop ranges from rocky through rock-outcrop,
which ranges in percentage from 2 through 90 percent.
Harrington, 1975
95
-------
APPENDIX C
Wildlife Present on the USMA Reservation
Common Name
Deer, white-tail
Skunk
Mink
Muskrat
Pox, gray
Pox, rod
Squirrel, gray
Squirrel, red
Beaver
Squirrel, flying
Chipmunk
WooAchuck
Marten
Weasel
Oppoaum
Raccoon
Rabbit, cottontail
Field mouse
Pino mouse
Mole
Otter
Rabbit, snowshoe
Black bear (rare)
Wildcat (rare)
Scientific Name
Odocoileug virginianus
Mephitis mephitis
Mustela v'ison
Ondatra zibethica
Urocyon cinercoargenteus
Vulpes fulva
Sciurus caroliniensis
Tamisciurus hudsonicus
Castor canadensis
Galucomys volans
Tamias striatus
Marmota monax
Martes americana
Mustela frenata
Didelphis virginiana
Procyon lotor
SylvilaguR floridanus
Microtus pennsylvanicus
Microtus sp.
Scapanus latimanus
Lutra canadensis
Lepus americanus
Ursus americanus
Lynx rufus
Office of the Engineer, West Point, 1962
------- |