Water Budgets and GIS-Based Ground-Water Availability Analysis for the Delaware River Basin
New Jersey WSC Archived Projects
The purpose of this project was to provide a basin-wide vision for long-range goals and provide direction for guiding future water-resource management to the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) for updating its comprehensive plan. A systematic approach was developed for evaluating existing and future water withdrawals relating to available supply and environmental requirements.
PROJECT PERIOD: 1997- 01-APR-2003
PROJECT NUMBER: 2454ASW
STUDY OVERVIEW:
The purpose of this project was to provide a basin-wide vision for long-range goals and provide direction for guiding future water-resource management to the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) for updating its comprehensive plan. A systematic approach was developed for evaluating existing and future water withdrawals relating to available supply and environmental requirements.
In the first phase of the project, annual water budgets were developed for selected prototype watersheds in Pennsylvania and New Jersey with varying degrees of urbanization and different geological settings. The water-budget equations generated for this phase of the study can be applied to any watershed in the Delaware River Basin. The complexity of the water budgets increased with increasing watershed urbanization and inter-basin transfer of water. Results of the water budget analysis are detailed in Sloto and Buxton, 2005.
In the second phase of the project, two different methods were used to estimate the ground-water availability (1997-2000) for the region underlain by fractured rocks in the upper part of the basin and for surficial aquifers in the region underlain by unconsolidated sediments in the lower part of the basin. Ground-water availability was estimated for the 147 watersheds that make up the Delaware River Basin. Ground-water availability for 109 watersheds underlain by fractured rocks was based on lithology and physiographic province. Ground-water availability for 38 watersheds underlain by unconsolidated sediments was based on predominant surficial geology and land use. Results of the ground-water availability study are described in Sloto and Buxton, 2006.
Project Objectives
The objective of this project is to develop a GIS-based water-budget and water availability methodology for assessment of water supply and for use in the evaluation of allocation policy for the Delaware River Basin's watersheds. This methodology will be applicable to all of the basin's watersheds and be designed for interactive retrieval by potential users via the Internet.
Statement of Problem
One of the key elements of water-resources planning is a systematic approach for evaluating existing and future water withdrawals against available water supplies and environmental requirements. For the KRA "Manage the quantity and quality of the water resources of the Delaware River Basin for sustainable use," objective 1A is to " establish water budgets for all Delaware River Basin watersheds at the appropriate geographic scale (e.g., 80 to 100 square miles or smaller if needed/desired)" Many of the other goals and objectives in the draft goals document depend upon successful completion of this key task. The two major components of water allocation include the development of measurable water-supply and water-use data, sometimes referred to as the water budget, and allocation policy, such as withdrawal limits. Development of the policy generally entails assessment of the status of the water-supply and water-use conditions within watersheds, as well as the comparison of the impacts of various allocation policies on both water allocation and environmental conditions.
Strategy and Approach
For areas underlain by fractured crystalline rocks, three prototype watersheds will be chosen: (1) a rural watershed, (2) an urban watershed, and (3) a watershed with reservoir storage. For areas underlain by coastal plain sediments, two prototype watersheds will be chosen: (1) a rural watershed, and (2) and urban watershed. For each of the five watersheds, available recent withdrawal, discharge, import, and export data will be incorporated into the database. Example comparisons will be made between withdrawals and withdrawal limits using alternative withdrawal limit scenarios to be determined in consultation with the DRBC staff and the Water Management Advisory Committee. Based on this work, a report detailing the recommended water budget methodology will be prepared. The costs of application on both a prorated and basin-wide level will be addressed in a separate project proposal. The report also will provide recommendations on watershed scale as it applies to water allocation decisions and will cover in detail the design of the required database for the water budgets. All products will be prepared for Internet display.
DISCLAIMER: This webpage contains information about completed or inactive projects from the NJ Water Science Center. It has been created for historical purposes and may be a utility to locate published information. This page should not be considered an authoritative source. You are encouraged to contact the NJ WSC for more current information.
The purpose of this project was to provide a basin-wide vision for long-range goals and provide direction for guiding future water-resource management to the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) for updating its comprehensive plan. A systematic approach was developed for evaluating existing and future water withdrawals relating to available supply and environmental requirements.
PROJECT PERIOD: 1997- 01-APR-2003
PROJECT NUMBER: 2454ASW
STUDY OVERVIEW:
The purpose of this project was to provide a basin-wide vision for long-range goals and provide direction for guiding future water-resource management to the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) for updating its comprehensive plan. A systematic approach was developed for evaluating existing and future water withdrawals relating to available supply and environmental requirements.
In the first phase of the project, annual water budgets were developed for selected prototype watersheds in Pennsylvania and New Jersey with varying degrees of urbanization and different geological settings. The water-budget equations generated for this phase of the study can be applied to any watershed in the Delaware River Basin. The complexity of the water budgets increased with increasing watershed urbanization and inter-basin transfer of water. Results of the water budget analysis are detailed in Sloto and Buxton, 2005.
In the second phase of the project, two different methods were used to estimate the ground-water availability (1997-2000) for the region underlain by fractured rocks in the upper part of the basin and for surficial aquifers in the region underlain by unconsolidated sediments in the lower part of the basin. Ground-water availability was estimated for the 147 watersheds that make up the Delaware River Basin. Ground-water availability for 109 watersheds underlain by fractured rocks was based on lithology and physiographic province. Ground-water availability for 38 watersheds underlain by unconsolidated sediments was based on predominant surficial geology and land use. Results of the ground-water availability study are described in Sloto and Buxton, 2006.
Project Objectives
The objective of this project is to develop a GIS-based water-budget and water availability methodology for assessment of water supply and for use in the evaluation of allocation policy for the Delaware River Basin's watersheds. This methodology will be applicable to all of the basin's watersheds and be designed for interactive retrieval by potential users via the Internet.
Statement of Problem
One of the key elements of water-resources planning is a systematic approach for evaluating existing and future water withdrawals against available water supplies and environmental requirements. For the KRA "Manage the quantity and quality of the water resources of the Delaware River Basin for sustainable use," objective 1A is to " establish water budgets for all Delaware River Basin watersheds at the appropriate geographic scale (e.g., 80 to 100 square miles or smaller if needed/desired)" Many of the other goals and objectives in the draft goals document depend upon successful completion of this key task. The two major components of water allocation include the development of measurable water-supply and water-use data, sometimes referred to as the water budget, and allocation policy, such as withdrawal limits. Development of the policy generally entails assessment of the status of the water-supply and water-use conditions within watersheds, as well as the comparison of the impacts of various allocation policies on both water allocation and environmental conditions.
Strategy and Approach
For areas underlain by fractured crystalline rocks, three prototype watersheds will be chosen: (1) a rural watershed, (2) an urban watershed, and (3) a watershed with reservoir storage. For areas underlain by coastal plain sediments, two prototype watersheds will be chosen: (1) a rural watershed, and (2) and urban watershed. For each of the five watersheds, available recent withdrawal, discharge, import, and export data will be incorporated into the database. Example comparisons will be made between withdrawals and withdrawal limits using alternative withdrawal limit scenarios to be determined in consultation with the DRBC staff and the Water Management Advisory Committee. Based on this work, a report detailing the recommended water budget methodology will be prepared. The costs of application on both a prorated and basin-wide level will be addressed in a separate project proposal. The report also will provide recommendations on watershed scale as it applies to water allocation decisions and will cover in detail the design of the required database for the water budgets. All products will be prepared for Internet display.
DISCLAIMER: This webpage contains information about completed or inactive projects from the NJ Water Science Center. It has been created for historical purposes and may be a utility to locate published information. This page should not be considered an authoritative source. You are encouraged to contact the NJ WSC for more current information.