APPLICATION OF THE PRECIPITATION RUNOFF MODELING SYSTEM IN THE APALACHICOLA-CHATTAHOOCHEE-FLINT RIVER BASIN IN THE SOUTHEASTERN USA

In order to help resource managers assess potential effects of climate change on ecosystems, the Southeast Regional Assessment Project (SERAP) began in 2009. One component of the SERAP is a multi-resolution hydrologic model of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin. The ACF River Basin supports multiple fish and wildlife species of conservation concern to Federal and State managers, is regionally important for water supply, and has been a recent focus of complementary research. Hydrologic models of varying extents and resolutions will be developed in the study area as required by the scope of the resource question and the limits of potential management actions using the U.S. Geological Survey Precipitation Runoff Modeling System (PRMS). The coarse-resolution model will comprise the entire ACF Basin, with a contributing area of approximately 19,200 mi² at the model outlet. Six fine-resolution PRMS models ranging in size from 153 mi² to 1,040 mi² will be nested within the coarse-scale model, and developed for the following basins: the upper Chattahoochee River, the Chestatee River, the Chipola River, Ichawaynochaway Creek, Potato Creek, and Spring Creek. All of the models will operate on a daily time-step and will use existing climate, land cover, and streamflow data for development, calibration, and evaluation. Land cover projections will be used in conjunction with downscaled Global Climate Model outputs to produce PRMS projections of future conditions.