A coupled model of hydrodynamics circulation and water quality applied to the Rio Verde reservoir, Brazil

Abstract

This work applied the coupled horizontal two-dimensional hydrodynamic circulation model (2DH) and the vertically integrated water quality model for non-conservative and passive scalars to the Rio Verde reservoir in the state of Paraná, Brazil, to simulate flow, temperature and water quality parameters. The water quality model uses the same spatial grid applied for the hydrodynamics model. Flow velocities and turbulence coefficients previously defined in the hydrodynamics model can be used directly in the water quality model. Modeling results were compared to field data for a period of 308 days, from February 27th 2010 and December 31th 2010. Field data included water and air temperature, wind, relative humidity, radiation, discharges and concentration values of some substances in the tributaries of the reservoir. The results indicated that hydrodynamic circulation and, consequently, horizontal transport, are strongly dependent on the wind. Inflows/outflows generated a localized circulation. The results for the temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration were compared with field measures and a satisfactory consistency was achieved. Despite the errors associated with boundary conditions, the models demonstrated their potential to adequately simulate the data set collected from the reservoir.

Keywords

• hydrodynamic circulation
• Rio Verde reservoir
• water quality models.