Water Quality Prediction Within an Interbasin Transfer System1

Abstract

A methodology for predicting the spatial and temporal levels of conservative water quality constituents within a multibasin water resource system is presented. Dissolved solids, sulfates, and chlorides are the constituents used during this investigation; however, any other conservative ion or mineral can be incorporated into the simulation model. The methodology is tested on the proposed Texas Water System. The water quality model, QNET‐I, utilizes monthly canal and river flows and reservoir storage levels calculated by the Texas Water Development Board's systems simulation model. Discharge‐concentration relationships are developed for each source of water in the system, including significant waste‐water discharges. Reservoirs in the system are assumed to be completely mixed with respect to conservative constituents. A mass balance analysis is performed for each node and each month during the simulation period. The output from the water quality simulation is a table of the concentrations of the conservative water quality constituents at each demand point in the system and in each reservoir and canal for every month the system is in operation. The desired quality of the water at the demand locations is used to determine the economic utility of transporting and mixing water from various sources.

A pollution displacement model for the great lakes system

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JAWRA: Fifty‐Five Years of Sustained Contributions for Improved Water Resources Management — The First Decade (1965–1974)

“…The first decade of JAWRA catalogues a rich set of papers addressing a broad range of issues such as desalination, transboundary aquifer (Bittinger and Jones 1972) and interbasin transfers (White et al 1972) concerns, and water allocation mechanisms that are relevant even today. The papers represented a good blend of theory and practice and covered a broad range of topics spanning physical, natural, and social sciences, and engineering.…”