This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release contains model scenario input and output files and nine hydrology and water-quality models developed using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The models represent nine watersheds in eastern New York that drain to Lake Erie or the Niagara River and were created, calibrated, and validated for hydrology, sediment, and nutrients as baseline scenarios. Twenty-six additional scenarios were created to explore the effects of agricultural and urban best management practices, point source discharges, and green infrastructure on the water quality of tributaries to Lake Erie/Niagara River. Model documentation and scenario development are described in Merriman and others (2024).

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (FDLB), Minnesota, analyzed the hydrologic and hydraulic conditions within the Stoney Brook watershed. The Stoney Brook watershed covers an area of 100.8 square miles in Carlton and St. Louis counties with most of the watershed within the Fond du Lac Reservation. Wild rice, which is harvested by the FDLB, naturally grows in the lakes on the Fond du Lac Reservation and is susceptible to damage from increased water-levels after substantial rainfall events. Channel modifications and frequency rainfall events were simulated to assess lake level conditions that could mitigate potential damages to the wild rice yields. The channel modifications were also used to evaluate options for improving conveyance and floodplain storage in the watershed. The study area consists of 77.9 square miles of the watershed with the downstream boundary located 2.4 miles downstream from the USGS streamgage Stoney Brook at Pine Drive near Brookston, Minn. (USGS station 04021520; U.S. Geological Survey, 2023). A hydrologic model was used to simulate precipitation runoff and outflow hydrographs from delineated subwatersheds in the Stoney Brook watershed. A two-dimensional hydraulic model was used to simulate streamflows, volume accumulation, lake water-levels, and inundation duration and depths. The hydrologic model was developed using Hydrologic Engineering Center–Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC–HMS) computer program (version 4.3; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2022) for the simulation of single rainfall events. A total of 14 subwatersheds were used in the HEC–HMS model to represent the 77.9 square mile study area within the Stoney Brook watershed. The HEC–HMS model was calibrated using streamflow time series from the USGS streamgage Stoney Brook at Pine Drive near Brookston, Minn. (USGS station 04021520; U.S. Geological Survey, 2023) to two high-flow events: April 21–30, 2008, and June 19–July 1, 2012. The calibrated HEC–HMS model used 24-hour duration design rainfall events consisting of precipitation frequencies of 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10-year recurrence intervals (100-, 50-, 20-, and 10-percent annual exceedance probabilities) for the simulation of channel modification alternatives in the hydraulic model. The hydraulic model was developed using Hydrologic Engineering Center–River Analysis System (HEC–RAS) computer program (version 6.4.1; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2023). The HEC–RAS model was calibrated using streamflow time series from the USGS streamgage Stoney Brook at Pine Drive near Brookston, Minn. (USGS station 04021520; U.S. Geological Survey, 2023) to two high-flow events: April 21–30, 2008, and June 19–July 1, 2012. Channel modification alternatives were developed in the HEC–RAS model as terrain modifications and were intended to improve flow conveyances and storage and wetland coverage within the floodplain. These terrain modifications include breaches in the bank spoils, reconnecting the original channel to Stoney Brook, and clearing the original channel of soil deposition and debris. The HEC–HMS with HEC–RAS scenarios were simulated using flows from 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10-year recurrence interval (100-, 50-, 20-, and 10-percent annual exceedance probabilities) precipitation events distributed over a 24-hour duration. The HEC–RAS model was used to determine differences in hydraulic characteristics such as: peak water-surface elevations in the lakes, peak flows, volume accumulation, and inundation durations and depths. This data release contains a zip file that includes the HEC–HMS and HEC–RAS model run files, model performance and calibration metrics, and model outputs used in this study. References Cited: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2018, Hydrologic Engineering Center Hydrologic Modeling System HEC–HMS 4.3. User’s Manual: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers software release, accessed October 10, 2022, at

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (FDLB), Minnesota, analyzed the hydrologic and hydraulic conditions within the Stoney Brook watershed. The Stoney Brook watershed covers an area of 100.8 square miles in Carlton and St. Louis counties with most of the watershed within the Fond du Lac Reservation. Wild rice, which is harvested by the FDLB, naturally grows in the lakes on the Fond du Lac Reservation and is susceptible to damage from increased water-levels after substantial rainfall events. Channel modifications and frequency rainfall events were simulated to assess lake level conditions that could mitigate potential damages to the wild rice yields. The channel modifications were also used to evaluate options for improving conveyance and floodplain storage in the watershed. The study area consists of 77.9 square miles of the watershed with the downstream boundary located 2.4 miles downstream from the USGS streamgage Stoney Brook at Pine Drive near Brookston, Minn. (USGS station 04021520; U.S. Geological Survey, 2023). A hydrologic model was used to simulate precipitation runoff and outflow hydrographs from delineated subwatersheds in the Stoney Brook watershed. A two-dimensional hydraulic model was used to simulate streamflows, volume accumulation, lake water-levels, and inundation duration and depths. The hydrologic model was developed using Hydrologic Engineering Center–Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC–HMS) computer program (version 4.3; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2022) for the simulation of single rainfall events. A total of 14 subwatersheds were used in the HEC–HMS model to represent the 77.9 square mile study area within the Stoney Brook watershed. The HEC–HMS model was calibrated using streamflow time series from the USGS streamgage Stoney Brook at Pine Drive near Brookston, Minn. (USGS station 04021520; U.S. Geological Survey, 2023) to two high-flow events: April 21–30, 2008, and June 19–July 1, 2012. The calibrated HEC–HMS model used 24-hour duration design rainfall events consisting of precipitation frequencies of 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10-year recurrence intervals (100-, 50-, 20-, and 10-percent annual exceedance probabilities) for the simulation of channel modification alternatives in the hydraulic model. The hydraulic model was developed using Hydrologic Engineering Center–River Analysis System (HEC–RAS) computer program (version 6.4.1; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2023). The HEC–RAS model was calibrated using streamflow time series from the USGS streamgage Stoney Brook at Pine Drive near Brookston, Minn. (USGS station 04021520; U.S. Geological Survey, 2023) to two high-flow events: April 21–30, 2008, and June 19–July 1, 2012. Channel modification alternatives were developed in the HEC–RAS model as terrain modifications and were intended to improve flow conveyances and storage and wetland coverage within the floodplain. These terrain modifications include breaches in the bank spoils, reconnecting the original channel to Stoney Brook, and clearing the original channel of soil deposition and debris. The HEC–HMS with HEC–RAS scenarios were simulated using flows from 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10-year recurrence interval (100-, 50-, 20-, and 10-percent annual exceedance probabilities) precipitation events distributed over a 24-hour duration. The HEC–RAS model was used to determine differences in hydraulic characteristics such as: peak water-surface elevations in the lakes, peak flows, volume accumulation, and inundation durations and depths. This data release contains a zip file that includes the HEC–HMS and HEC–RAS model run files, model performance and calibration metrics, and model outputs used in this study. References Cited: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2018, Hydrologic Engineering Center Hydrologic Modeling System HEC–HMS 4.3. User’s Manual: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers software release, accessed October 10, 2022, at

This data release contains data and rloadest models used to estimate sediment and nutrient loads in selected New York tributaries to eastern Lake Erie. Load estimates for suspended sediment and nutrients were calculated using rloadest (Lorenz and others, 2013; Runkel and De Cicco, 2017) models. Included are a zip file with input and output files for selected rloadest models for 13 U.S. Geological Survey sites in the eastern Lake Erie Basin. Also included are brief methods and the R-code used to create the models and generate model summaries. Models for total nitrogen, nitrate plus nitrite, total phosphorus, orthophosphate, and suspended sediment were evaluated at each of the 13 sites. Model results that had high bias or non-significant model variables were not considered. In total, 46 rloadest models were created for the 13 sites. Of the 13 sites, rloadest models were created for total phosphorus at 12 sites, total nitrogen at all 13 sites, nitrate plus nitrite at five sites, ammonium at five sites, and for suspended sediment concentrations at 11 of the 13 sites. Orthophosphate samples were highly censored and did not produce any viable models at the study sites. These models and load results were generated using data pulled from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System (U.S. Geological Survey, 2020 ) in May of 2020. Results from rloadest models were used in a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) (Arnold and others, 1998; Douglas-Mankin and others, 2010; Gassman and others, 2007) analysis for the sites. References Arnold, J. G., Srinivasan, R., Muttiah, R. S., Williams, J. R., 1998, Large area hydrologic modeling and assessment part I: model development. Journal of the American Water Resources Association. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.1998.tb05961.x Douglas-Mankin, K. R., Srinivasan, R., Arnold, J. G, 2010, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) Model: Current Developments and Applications. Transactions of the ASABE, 53(5), 1423–1431. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.34915 Gassman, P. W., Reyes, M. R., Green, C. H., Arnold, J. G., 2007, The Soil and Water Assessment Tool: Historical Development, Applications, and Future Research Directions. Transactions of the ASABE, 50(4), 1211–1250. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.23637 Lorenz, D., Runkel, R., and De Cicco, L., 2013, rloadest: U.S. Geological Survey water science R functions for LOAD ESTimation of constituents in rivers and streams, v 0.4.1: accessed September 12, 2018, at https://github.com/USGS-R/rloadest. Runkel, R.L., and De Cicco, L.A., 2017, Rloadest: River Load Estimation. R package version 0.4.5, accessed September 12, 2018, at https://github.com/USGS-R/rloadest. U.S. Geological Survey, 2020, U.S. Geological Survey water data for the Nation: U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System database, accessed May 7, 2020, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7P55KJN.

This data release contains data and rloadest models used to estimate sediment and nutrient loads in selected New York tributaries to eastern Lake Erie. Load estimates for suspended sediment and nutrients were calculated using rloadest (Lorenz and others, 2013; Runkel and De Cicco, 2017) models. Included are a zip file with input and output files for selected rloadest models for 13 U.S. Geological Survey sites in the eastern Lake Erie Basin. Also included are brief methods and the R-code used to create the models and generate model summaries. Models for total nitrogen, nitrate plus nitrite, total phosphorus, orthophosphate, and suspended sediment were evaluated at each of the 13 sites. Model results that had high bias or non-significant model variables were not considered. In total, 46 rloadest models were created for the 13 sites. Of the 13 sites, rloadest models were created for total phosphorus at 12 sites, total nitrogen at all 13 sites, nitrate plus nitrite at five sites, ammonium at five sites, and for suspended sediment concentrations at 11 of the 13 sites. Orthophosphate samples were highly censored and did not produce any viable models at the study sites. These models and load results were generated using data pulled from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System (U.S. Geological Survey, 2020 ) in May of 2020. Results from rloadest models were used in a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) (Arnold and others, 1998; Douglas-Mankin and others, 2010; Gassman and others, 2007) analysis for the sites. References Arnold, J. G., Srinivasan, R., Muttiah, R. S., Williams, J. R., 1998, Large area hydrologic modeling and assessment part I: model development. Journal of the American Water Resources Association. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.1998.tb05961.x Douglas-Mankin, K. R., Srinivasan, R., Arnold, J. G, 2010, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) Model: Current Developments and Applications. Transactions of the ASABE, 53(5), 1423–1431. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.34915 Gassman, P. W., Reyes, M. R., Green, C. H., Arnold, J. G., 2007, The Soil and Water Assessment Tool: Historical Development, Applications, and Future Research Directions. Transactions of the ASABE, 50(4), 1211–1250. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.23637 Lorenz, D., Runkel, R., and De Cicco, L., 2013, rloadest: U.S. Geological Survey water science R functions for LOAD ESTimation of constituents in rivers and streams, v 0.4.1: accessed September 12, 2018, at https://github.com/USGS-R/rloadest. Runkel, R.L., and De Cicco, L.A., 2017, Rloadest: River Load Estimation. R package version 0.4.5, accessed September 12, 2018, at https://github.com/USGS-R/rloadest. U.S. Geological Survey, 2020, U.S. Geological Survey water data for the Nation: U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System database, accessed May 7, 2020, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7P55KJN.

The dataset supported findings in the study: "Evaluation of SWAT reservoir, ponds, and wetlands tools in water and sediment simulation in the Rock River watershed". Results of this study demonstrate the impact of impoundments in SWAT modeling.The dataset includes sources of the SWAT input data. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Jalowska, A., and Y. Yuan. Evaluation of SWAT Impoundment Modeling Methods in Water and Sediment Simulations. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION. American Water Resources Association, Middleburg, VA, USA, 55(1): 209-227, (2019).

The dataset supported findings in the study: "Evaluation of SWAT reservoir, ponds, and wetlands tools in water and sediment simulation in the Rock River watershed". Results of this study demonstrate the impact of impoundments in SWAT modeling.The dataset includes sources of the SWAT input data. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Jalowska, A., and Y. Yuan. Evaluation of SWAT Impoundment Modeling Methods in Water and Sediment Simulations. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION. American Water Resources Association, Middleburg, VA, USA, 55(1): 209-227, (2019).

This child item model archive summary documents a surrogate regression model to estimate suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) at the Mohawk River above State Highway 30A at Fonda, New York. (U.S. Geological Survey station number 01349527). The methods used follow USGS guidance in relevant Office of Surface Water/Office of Water Quality Technical Memoranda and USGS Techniques and Methods, book 3, chap. 4 (Rasmussen and others, 2009). Thirty-nine concurrent measurements of SSC and turbidity, collected from June 12, 2015, through May 28, 2020, were used in the model calibration dataset. Samples were collected across 94 percent of the range in observed discharge and 24 percent of the range in observed turbidity during the model calibration period. The greatest sampled discharges and turbidities during the model calibration period were exceeded less than 0.1 percent and 0.2 percent of the time, respectively. Suspended-sediment concentrations were estimated from an ordinary least squares regression between SSC and turbidity developed using the U.S. Geological Survey Surrogate Analysis and Index Developer (SAID) Tool (Domanski and others, 2015).

This child item model archive summary documents a surrogate regression model to estimate suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) at the Mohawk River above State Highway 30A at Fonda, New York. (U.S. Geological Survey station number 01349527). The methods used follow USGS guidance in relevant Office of Surface Water/Office of Water Quality Technical Memoranda and USGS Techniques and Methods, book 3, chap. 4 (Rasmussen and others, 2009). Thirty-nine concurrent measurements of SSC and turbidity, collected from June 12, 2015, through May 28, 2020, were used in the model calibration dataset. Samples were collected across 94 percent of the range in observed discharge and 24 percent of the range in observed turbidity during the model calibration period. The greatest sampled discharges and turbidities during the model calibration period were exceeded less than 0.1 percent and 0.2 percent of the time, respectively. Suspended-sediment concentrations were estimated from an ordinary least squares regression between SSC and turbidity developed using the U.S. Geological Survey Surrogate Analysis and Index Developer (SAID) Tool (Domanski and others, 2015).