Inclusion of Riparian Wetland Module (RWM) into the SWAT Model for Assessment of Wetland Hydrological Benefits

摘要

Wetlands are an integral part of many agricultural watersheds. They provide multiple ecosystem functions, such as improving water quality, mitigating flooding, and serving as natural habitats. Those functions are highly depended on wetland hydrological characteristics and their connectivity to the downstream waters. However, wetland hydrology has been poorly understood at the watershed scale. In this study, we simulated the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (or SWAT) model along with the inclusion of aRiparian Wetland Module (RWM) at Tuckahoe Creek, a sub-watershed within the Choptank River watershed on the Coastal Plain of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The RWM, a SWAT extension module, was adopted to better simulate interactions between riparian wetlands and nearby streams. The SWAT-RWM was calibrated and validated against observed streamflow collected at the outlet of the watershed and then applied for assessing wetland hydrological benefits. The poster will demonstrate the hydrological benefits ofwetlands to stabilize overall flow pattern and reduce peak flow at the storm event. The outcomes of this study will contribute to the enhanced understanding of the hydrological role of wetlands in the watershed.