WARMF UPDATE

The Watershed Risk Analysis Management Framework (WARMF) is a decision support system that guides stakeholders to calculate TMDLs, evaluate alternative watershed management strategies, and reach consensus on a preferred implementation plan. It can calculate nutrient TMDLs to meet chlorophyll criteria for lake and coliform TMDLs to meet swimmable criteria for stream. It can also evaluate buffer strips as BMP to meet the sediment TMDLs for fish habitat. New applications often require added capabilities. New features are added after literature review. Recently, WARMF was updated to simulate pyrite oxidation for acid mine drainage (AMD). This improvement enabled EPA Region 3 to calculate TMDLs for aluminum, zinc, iron, manganese and pH for AMD in the Cheat River, West Virginia. Under an EPA Grant, we collaborate with the Colorado School of Mines, USGS, and Summit County of Colorado to model the impact of onsite wastewater systems on groundwater and surface water in the Dillon Lake Watershed. The algorithm for a biozone is being added to process pollutants from septic tank effluents before releasing them to the underlying soil. The St. Louis River Watershed TMDL Partnership in Minnesota received an EPA Grant to develop mercury TMDL. To support this effort, WARMF is modified to track mercury from atmospheric deposition through tree canopies, land catchments, wetlands, rivers, and lakes to fish. WARMF will be used to calculate mercury TMDLs, allocate mercury TMDLs to local and regional sources, and analyze alternative implementation plans through stakeholder processes.