Simulated Constituents

The water quantity and quality constituents that are simualted by WAM Include:

• Quantity

  • Stage
  • Depth
  • Velocity
  • Flow

• Quality

  • TSS
  • Soluble nitrate
  • Soluble ammonia
  • Soluble organic nitrogen
  • Soluble phosphorus
  • Particulate ammonia
  • Particulate organic nitrogen
  • Particulate phosphorus
  • BOD

WAM produces the following types of output for each of the constituents:

• The daily flows and loads discharging from each grid cell in the basin

• The delivery of flows and loads to the reach network, annual averages

  • Unattenuated: nutrient load discharging at the cell boundary
  • Attenuated: nutrient loading to the stream network incorporating overland attenuation

• Hydrodynamic in-stream routing for each reach segment in the network on a daily time step

In addition, intermediary files are created that illustrate the flow path surface water and groundwater follows until it enters a reach. This also includes the catchment area of each reach, from both surface runoff and groundwater flows.

WAM has been linked to the following models, allowing it to simulate additional processes and constituents:

• WASP - Provides a more robust simulation of water conveyance systems, including the constituents chlorophyll, and Dissolved Oxygen (DO).
• BATHTUB - Allows for a better representation of the eutrophic ecological processes in lakes.