Model:HSPF

HSPF

Metadata

Also known as
Model type	Modular
Model part of larger framework
Note on status model	EPA has information about HSPF, but no longer has active support for HSPF as a standalone model. See also: https://www.epa.gov/ceam/hydrological-simulation-program-fortran-hspf
Date note status model	2024-08-30

Incorporated models or components:

Spatial dimensions	2D
Spatial extent	Landscape-Scale, Watershed-Scale
Model domain	Terrestrial, Hydrology
One-line model description	a comprehensive package for simulation of watershed hydrology and water quality for both conventional and toxic organic pollutants
Extended model description	Hydrological Simulation Program - FORTRAN (HSPF) is a comprehensive package for simulation of watershed hydrology and water quality for both conventional and toxic organic pollutants (1,2). This model can simulate the hydrologic, and associated water quality, processes on pervious and impervious land surfaces and in streams and well-mixed impoundments. HSPF incorporates the watershed-scale ARM and NPS models into a basin-scale analysis framework that includes fate and transport in one-dimensional stream channels. It is the only comprehensive model of watershed hydrology and water quality that allows the integrated simulation of land and soil contaminant runoff processes with in-stream hydraulic and sediment-chemical interactions. The result of this simulation is a time history of the runoff flow rate, sediment load, and nutrient and pesticide concentrations, along with a time history of water quantity and quality at any point in a watershed. HSPF simulates three sediment types (sand, silt, and clay) in addition to a single organic chemical and transformation products of that chemical. The transfer and reaction processes included are hydrolysis, oxidation, photolysis, biodegradation, volatilization, and sorption. Sorption is modeled as a first-order kinetic process in which the user must specify a desorption rate and an equilibrium partition coefficient for each of the three solids types. Resuspension and settling of silts and clays (cohesive solids) are defined in terms of shear stress at the sediment water interface. The capacity of the system to transport sand at a particular flow is calculated and resuspension or settling is defined by the difference between the sand in suspension and the transport capacity. Calibration of the model requires data for each of the three solids types. Benthic exchange is modeled as sorption/desorption and deposition/scour with surficial benthic sediments. Underlying sediment and pore water are not modeled.

Keywords:	biogeochemistry, water quality,

Name	Bob Bicknell
Type of contact	Technical contact
Institute / Organization	EPA
Postal address 1	Center for Exposure Assessment Modeling (CEAM)
Postal address 2	960 College Station Road
Town / City	Athens
Postal code	30605-2700
State	Georgia
Country	United States
Email address	test@test.com
Phone	706-355-8403
Fax	706-355-8302

Supported platforms	Windows
Other platform
Programming language	Fortran77
Other program language
Code optimized	Single Processor
Multiple processors implemented
Nr of distributed processors
Nr of shared processors
Start year development	1997
Does model development still take place?	No
If above answer is no, provide end year model development	2024
Code development status	As is, no updates are provided
When did you indicate the 'code development status'?	2024
Model availability
Source code availability (Or provide future intension)
Source web address
Source csdms web address
Program license type	Other
Program license type other	--
Memory requirements	This model system is designed for the IBM PC family of microcomputer or compatible systems running under version 3.30 or higher of the Microsoft or PC Disk Operating Systems (PC or MS DOS--refer to DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM section). Properly configured, this model system and its support files and programs can be executed under PC DOS or MS DOS 3.30 and later versions, DOS 4.0x, DOS 5.0x, or DOS 6.x.
Typical run time	--

Describe input parameters	Data needs for HSPF can be extensive. HSPF is a continuous simulation program and requires continuous data to drive the simulations. At a minimum, continuous rainfall records are required to drive the runoff model and additional records of evapotranspiration, temperature, and solar intensity are desirable. A large number of model parameters can be specified although default values are provided where reasonable values are available. HSPF is a general-purpose program and special attention has been paid to cases where input parameters are omitted. In addition, option flags allow bypassing of whole sections of the program where data are not available.
Input format	ASCII
Other input format
Describe output parameters	HSPF produces a time history of the runoff flow rate, sediment load, and nutrient and pesticide concentrations, along with a time history of water quantity and quality at any point in a watershed. Simulation results can be processed through a frequency and duration analysis routine that produces output compatible with conventional toxicological measures (e.g., 96-hour LC50).
Output format	ASCII
Other output format
Pre-processing software needed?	No
Describe pre-processing software
Post-processing software needed?	No
Describe post-processing software
Visualization software needed?	No
If above answer is yes
Other visualization software

Describe processes represented by the model	HSPF assumes that the "Stanford Watershed Model" hydrologic model is appropriate for the area being modeled. Further, the instream model assumes the receiving water body is well-mixed with width and depth and is thus limited to well-mixed rivers and reservoirs. Application of this methodology generally requires a team effort because of its comprehensive nature.
Describe key physical parameters and equations
Describe length scale and resolution constraints
Describe time scale and resolution constraints
Describe any numerical limitations and issues

Describe available calibration data sets	SPF and the earlier models from which it was developed have been extensively applied in a wide variety of hydrologic and water quality studies (3,4), including pesticide runoff model testing (5), aquatic fate and transport model testing (6,7), and analyses of agricultural best management practices (8,9). An application of HSPF in a screening methodology for pesticide review is described by Donigian et al. (10). In addition, HSPF has been validated with both field data and model experiments, and has been reviewed by independent experts (11-20). The Stream Transport and Agricultural Runoff for Exposure Assessment Methodology (STREAM) applies the HSPF program to various test watersheds for five major crops in four agricultural regions in the United States, defines a "representative" watershed based on regional conditions and an extrapolation of the calibration for the test watershed, and performs a sensitivity analysis on key pesticide parameters to generate cumulative frequency distributions of pesticide loads and concentrations in each regions. The resulting methodology requires the user to evaluate only the crops and regions of interest, the pesticide application rate, and three pesticide parameters -- the partition coefficient, the soil/sediment decay rate, and the solution decay rate. The EPA Chesapeake Bay Program has been using the HSPF model as the framework for modeling total watershed contributions of flow, sediment, and nutrients (and associated constituents such as water temperature, DO, BOD, etc.) to the tidal region of the Chesapeake Bay (21,22). The watershed modeling represents pollutant contributions from an area of more than 68,000 sq. mi., and provides the input to drive a fully dynamic three-dimensional, hydrodynamic/water quality model of the Bay. The watershed drainage area is divided into land segments and stream channel segments. The land areas modeled include forest, agricultural cropland (conventional and conservation tillage systems), pasture, urban (pervious and impervious areas), and uncontrolled animal waste contributions. The stream channel simulation includes flow routing and oxygen and nutrient biochemical modeling (through phytoplankton) in order to account for instream processes affecting nutrient delivery to the Bay. Currently, buildup/washoff type algorithms are being used for urban impervious areas, potency factors for all pervious areas, and constant (or seasonally variable) concentrations for all subsurface contributions and animal waste components. Enhancements are underway to utilize the detailed process (i.e. Agrichemical modules) simulation for cropland areas to better represent the impacts of agricultural BMPs and to include nitrogen cycling in forested systems to evaluate the impacts of atmospheric deposition of nitrogen on Chesapeake Bay. The watershed modeling is being used to evaluate nutrient management alternatives for attaining a 40% reduction in nutrient loads delivered to the Bay, as defined in a joint agreement among the governors of the member states.
Upload calibration data sets if available:
Describe available test data sets
Upload test data sets if available:
Describe ideal data for testing

Do you have current or future plans for collaborating with other researchers?	http://www.epa.gov/ceampubl/swater/hspf/

Is there a manual available?	Yes
Upload manual if available:
Model website if any	http://water.epa.gov/scitech/datait/models/basins/bsnsdocs.cfm#hspf The HSPF User's Manual is available as a WordPerfect (version 5.1) document in (binary, non-ASCII) files HSPF_V11.001, HSPF_V11.002, HSPF_V11.003, HSPF_V11.004, HSPF_V11.005, HSPF_V11.006, and HSPF_V11.007 in the DOCUMENT sub-directory. Refer to file READ.ME in the README sub-directory for further information on the storage format and printing requirements of the user's manual files.
Model forum / discussion board

Comments

This part will be filled out by CSDMS staff

OpenMI compliant	No but possible
BMI compliant	No but possible
WMT component	No but possible
PyMT component
Is this a data component

Can be coupled with:

Model info

Authors

Bob Bicknell

Source code

Model citations

Nr. of publications:	485
Total citations:	16417
h-index:	59
m-quotient:	1.28

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HSPF

EPA has information about HSPF, but no longer has active support for HSPF as a standalone model. See also: https://www.epa.gov/ceam/hydrological-simulation-program-fortran-hspf

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Introduction

History

References

Nr. of publications:	485
Total citations:	16417
h-index:	59
m-quotient:	1.28

Featured reference(s)	Open Access Status	Year	Type of Reference	Cited
Bicknell, B.R.; Imhoff, J.C.; Kittle, J.L.; Donigian, A.S.; Johanson, R.C.; 1993. Hydrological Simulation Program - FORTRAN (HSPF): Users Manual for Release 10.. EPA-600/R-93/174, . [1]	unknown	1993	a module overview describing a module	350

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Input Files

Output Files