Streaming Media
Presentation Abstract
The Department of Ecology is developing a Hydrologic Condition Index (HCI) for the Puget Sound Basin. Building on the Puget Sound Watershed Characterization broad-scale indices of watershed processes, the HCI will further the multi-scale decision support framework established to assist local governments and natural resource practitioners in land use, stormwater, salmon recovery, and other watershed based planning processes. Building off of an initial concept from King County, Phase 1 development of the HCI established preferred methodologies for calculating the index, validated the index with stream gage measured high-pulse-counts (a measure of stream flashiness), and produced recommendations for further development. Additionally, initial approaches were conceptualized for how to use the HCI in alternative future scenarios where future land cover changes are projected. Phase 2, initiated in January of 2021, furthers the development of the HCI with a focus on: furthering the technical foundation of the HCI; expanding the applicability to more of the Puget Sound Basin with hydrologic modeling; and performing demonstration use case scenarios related to stormwater, land use, and restoration planning. Ultimately, the project seeks to improve our ability to assess the hydrologic health of watersheds in a way which is more spatially explicit than current rapid methods and provide tools which are accessible to planners.
Session Title
Climate Science 2: Water
Conference Track
SSE8: Climate Change
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE-traditionals-128
Start Date
27-4-2022 9:45 AM
End Date
27-4-2022 11:15 AM
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Type
Text
Language
English
Phase 2 Development of a Hydrologic Condition Index for the Puget Sound Basin
The Department of Ecology is developing a Hydrologic Condition Index (HCI) for the Puget Sound Basin. Building on the Puget Sound Watershed Characterization broad-scale indices of watershed processes, the HCI will further the multi-scale decision support framework established to assist local governments and natural resource practitioners in land use, stormwater, salmon recovery, and other watershed based planning processes. Building off of an initial concept from King County, Phase 1 development of the HCI established preferred methodologies for calculating the index, validated the index with stream gage measured high-pulse-counts (a measure of stream flashiness), and produced recommendations for further development. Additionally, initial approaches were conceptualized for how to use the HCI in alternative future scenarios where future land cover changes are projected. Phase 2, initiated in January of 2021, furthers the development of the HCI with a focus on: furthering the technical foundation of the HCI; expanding the applicability to more of the Puget Sound Basin with hydrologic modeling; and performing demonstration use case scenarios related to stormwater, land use, and restoration planning. Ultimately, the project seeks to improve our ability to assess the hydrologic health of watersheds in a way which is more spatially explicit than current rapid methods and provide tools which are accessible to planners.
