USDA-ARS: Harmel-2009
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Title
| Estimating storm discharge and water quality data uncertainty: A software tool for monitoring and modeling applications. |
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Author
| Harmel, R.D., D.R. Smith, K.W. King, and R.M. Slade |
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Abstract/Summary Statement
| Uncertainty estimates corresponding to measured hydrologic and water quality data can contribute to improved monitoring design, decision-making, model application, and regulatory formulation. With these benefits in mind, the Data Uncertainty Estimation Tool for Hydrology and Water Quality (DUET-H/WQ) was developed from an existing uncertainty estimation framework for small watershed discharge, sediment, and N and P data. DUET-H/WQ lists published uncertainty information for data collection procedures to assist the user in assigning appropriate data-specific uncertainty estimates and then calculates the uncertainty for individual discharge, concentration, and load values. Results of DUET-H/WQ application in several studies indicated that substantial uncertainty can be contributed by each procedural category (discharge measurement, sample collection, sample preservation/storage, laboratory analysis, and data processing and management). For storm loads, the uncertainty was typically least for discharge (±7-23%), higher for sediment (±16-27%) and dissolved N and P (±14-31%) loads, and higher yet for total N and P (±18-36%). When these uncertainty estimates for individual values were aggregated within study periods (i.e. total discharge, average concentration, total load), uncertainties followed the same pattern (Q < TSS < dissolved N and P < total N and P). It is our hope that DUET-H/WQ contributes to making uncertainty estimation a routine data collection and reporting procedure and thus enhances environmental monitoring, modeling, and decision-making. Hydrologic and water quality data are too important for scientists to continue to ignore the inherent uncertainty. |
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Table of Contents
| Abstract Introduction Method and Software Description Description of Case Studies Results and Discussion Conclusions References |
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Citation
| Harmel, R.D., D.R. Smith, K.W. King, and R.M. Slade. 2009. Estimating storm discharge and water quality data uncertainty: A software tool for monitoring and modeling applications. Environ. Modelling Software 24: 832-842. |
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Method Source
| USDA-ARS |
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Source Organization Country
| USA |
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Publication Year
| 2009 |
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Special Notes
| journal article and downloadable software Direct link to article at http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/62060000/graphics/DUETHWQ.pdf |
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Item Type
| Journal Article |
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Publication Source Type
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Government Agency (Federal, USA) |
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Purpose
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Data analysis Monitoring program design |
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Design or Data Analysis Objectives
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Compare locations Compare treatments Compliance with a threshold Exploring/summarizing data |
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Complexity
| Low |
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Media Emphasized
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Surface Water |
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Media Subcategory
| |
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Special Topics
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Characterizing the uncertainty of an estimated value |
