U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

MTTOT –Montana Time-of-Travel

A web-based map application for estimating travel times in response to spills in Montana streams and rivers

Peter McCarthypmccarth@usgs.gov406-457-5934

Recent Montana Spills

National News for 2014 Oil tanker derails in Lynchburg, VA; oil spills

into Jamestown River (Apr. 2014) 100,000 gallons of raw sewage spills into

Russian River in Guerneville, CA (Feb. 2014) Coal ash and arsenic-Dan River, NC (Feb,

2014) 3.5 Million gallons of sewage spill into Haw

River in Burlington, NC(Jan. 2014) Storage Tank Leaks MCHM in Charleston WV;

Elk River and Kanawha River (Jan. 2014)

Pipeline leaks 1 million gallons of saltwater near Mandaree, N.D. (July, 2014)

Gold, Russell and Dawson, Chester, (2014, September 21). Dangers Aside, Railways Reshape Crude Market. The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/dangers-aside-railways-reshape-crude-market-1411353150-lMyQjAxMTA0MDIwMzEyNDMyWj

Fresh from the press

January 17, 2015-Bridger Pipeline rupture, oil present in the Yellowstone River

Spill approximately 9 miles upstream from Glendive, MT (population ~5,000)

Estimates of 1,200 bbl or 50,000 gal. spilled from pipeline.

Oil is Bakken shale oil Glendive public water supply has elevated

level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Previous Montana TOT Studies Computer program for

estimating travel times on the Yellowstone River (SIR 2006-5057)

Dye-tracer study for low flows on Yellowstone River (SIR 2009-5261)

Dye-tracer study for low flows on Missouri River (SIR 2012-5044)

All studies funded by MT DEQ

Cooperator Need

Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) responsible for protecting one of Montana’s most important public resources-WATER DEQ is responsible for maintaining public health

through a safe and adequate supply of drinking water

DEQ is responsible for identifying public water systems, sources, and potential contaminant sources, and is required to assess the susceptibility and respond to risks

Cooperator Need

DEQ needs a tool or application which: Is easy to use Web-based Estimates travel times Identifies public water supplies and other

locations of interest downstream from spills (i.e. irrigation diversions, shallow aquifer wells, wetlands, etc.)

Quickly provides estimates based on real-time streamflow

Travel Time Theory Jobson (1996) developed regression

equations to estimate travel times and longitudinal dispersion in rivers and streams

Gregory Schwarz-USGS SPARROW Team is updating Jobson’s equations

Regression/input variables River slope River length Drainage area Mean annual discharge Real-time discharge Spill Mass

Travel Time Theory

Jobson’s Equations estimate the following

Most Probable Velocity (best predictor) Travel times for leading edge, peak, and

trailing edge Peak concentration

Maximum Probable Velocity (envelope curve) Travel times for leading edge, peak, and

trailing edge Peak concentration

Limitations of Jobson’s Equations

Soluble and conservative contaminants Streamflow limitations (low flow to bank full) Steady state flow Dams, reservoirs, and lakes

Location NHD+V2-Dams are included State databases Accuracy

Parameters Volume Discharge Residence time

Program Development

Hydrologic Network Map (GIS) based Web-based

Program Development

User Real-time discharge* Spill location Spill mass

StreamStats River slope River length Drainage area Mean annual

discharge Real-time

discharge*

Program Development

DEQ requirements Secure login for sensitive info Tabled output for points of interest

Public water supply locations Irrigation diversions Wetlands Permitted withdrawals for commercial or industrial Nearby shallow aquifer wells

Map output Save/Load/Print functionality Manually enter observed data

Program Development

Development by National StreamStats Develop base application within StreamStats which

employs Jobson’s Equations (or updated version of travel time equations)

Use nearby real-time streamflow gages Use existing hydrography to determine stream

slope, length, and drainage area Use existing hydrography and local regression

equations to estimate mean annual discharge Develop input/output options

Program Development

Development at state and local level Regional regression equations for mean annual

flow1

Regional studies for estimating real-time discharge at ungaged locations

Develop database for public water supplies, wetlands, irrigation diversions, and other sites of interests

Dye-tracer studies to validate or develop stream specific travel time equations

Address how travel time is impacted by lakes and reservoirs

1Updated equations may not use mean annual flow

Funding

Montana Montana Department of Natural Resources

Renewable Resource Grant Program Application (proposal) submitted through DEQ Awarded through Montana Legislature Max $125,000

USGS Cooperative Funding Match

Interests

USGS-Water Mission Areas StreamStats Team

Will develop the TOT application Possible FY16 appropriated funds

WY-MT WSC-proposal submitted-Not funded Proposals and work plans submitted by

Kentucky WSC New York WSC Idaho WSC

Additional Research Needs

Local studies for real-time discharge PRMS Hydrograph or duration

curve comparisons National Weather Service

Dye-tracer studies Non-soluble transport

LNAPL DNAPL

Additional Research Needs

Stream hydrography Medium Resolution High Resolution LiDAR based channel

parameters

Additional Research Needs Spill inundation mapping

http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/

Further Discussion Emergency Spill

Response Team Similar to Burned Area

Emergency Response (BAER)

Clarks Fork Yellowstone deployments

Funding, equipment, QW tests

Spill response plan

Conclusion Develop a basic national

time-of-travel tool using StreamStats as platform Basic regression equations Utilize studies on a state by

state basis

Regional studies for enhancing TOT tool Real-time discharge estimation Dye-tracer time-of-travel

results