InterWET Summary and Conclusions
Overall Summary
The subject matter for InterWET is focused on
water resource issues at the local government level. To be successful,
educational tools must be relevant and useful to their intended audience.
InterWET was designed to encompass the specific issues of the Spring Creek
Watershed, but the general categories to which these issues belong are
relevant for many watersheds. All local governments deal with issues
like water quantity and quality, land development and protection, and cooperation
and education. InterWET is intended to help people become better
informed about these issues and to better understand their role in affecting
water resources. Information on water resources not only includes
scientific knowledge, but also discovering how different perspectives affect
understanding. To address the issues, InterWET actively used calculators
and maps to present interactive learning experiences.
The two most important ideas to remember when
using InterWET are: 1) InterWET was developed as a research project and
2) InterWET was designed as an educational tool. As a research project,
InterWET was meant to show how hydrologic modeling could be used for watershed
education. This web site has shown that this can be done. However,
as an actual software product, InterWET is at an early stage. The
InterWET web site has not been evaluated beyond the focus of this research,
and it is known that there are currently some browser capability problems.
Due to the time limitations inherent in research projects, no studies were
performed to evaluate the educational effectiveness of InterWET’s layout,
activities, and web page lessons. As a research project, the research
focus of InterWET was to show what was possible, not to make bug-free,
commercial quality software.
The second idea to remember when using InterWET
is that the web site was designed for educational use. InterWET uses
established hydrologic modeling and computational methods, but also many
simplifying assumptions. These assumptions were made to bring out
the most important underlying concepts for each water resource component.
The values predicted are not nearly as important as the concepts implied
by these values. The values predicted InterWET should not be used
for actual design and decision making. Much more detailed analysis
should always be performed when new structures or policies are being considered.
InterWET does contain numerous references to original data, such as stream
flow and groundwater flow levels, that should play a role in decision making.
InterWET was not designed to replace the work of scientists and engineers
in watershed planning, but rather to help others understand their work
better.
Runoff
InterWET has shown what factors affect runoff.
The researcher perspective revealed how land cover and soils will impact
runoff amounts. The conservationist perspective brought out the different
amounts of stream flow for Spring Creek and its tributaries. Finally,
the local official perspective portrayed how land development policies
affect the runoff levels.
Groundwater
InterWET has shown that runoff and groundwater
flow are closely related, being affected by similar factors. In addition
to land cover and soils, the researcher perspective illustrated how additional
factors like groundwater geology and time of year affect groundwater flow.
The conservationist perspective displayed the unique groundwater flow system
for the Spring Creek Watershed. Last, the local official perspective
showed that, like runoff, land development policies affected groundwater
flow.
Sediment
While runoff and groundwater flow deal with water
quantity, sediment is on part of water quality. InterWET has shown
the multitude of factors which impact sediment. The researcher perspective
focused on sediment detachment by dealing with factors like storm energy,
land cover, soils, and topography. The conservationist perspective
showed how the streams in the Spring Creek Watershed had different in-stream
sediment levels. Finally, the local official perspective revealed
how land develop, riparian zone, and agricultural best management practices
all affect sediment detachment and delivery.
In-Stream Nutrients
InterWET has shown the complexity of determining
what affects in-stream nutrient levels. The researcher perspective
tied dissolved nutrient levels to water quantity factors, while sediment-bound
nutrient were tied to sediment or erosion factors. The conservationist
perspective shown that there was little monitoring data available for Spring
Creek Watershed for nutrients and other water quality measures. Then,
the local official perspective showed how land development, riparian zone,
waste water management, and agricultural best management practice policies
all affect in-stream nutrient levels.
Fish Populations
InterWET brought out some of the factors which
impact brown trout populations. From the researcher perspective,
the Habitat Suitability Index model showed how in-stream water quantity
and quality affected the different life stages of brown trout and how location
can not be ideally suited for all life stages. The conservationist
perspective revealed the state regulations and pollution problems for the
streams in the Spring Creek Watershed. Finally, the local official
perspective shown how both local government and fish commission policies
can impact brown trout populations.
The Internet Watershed Educational
Tool (InterWET) provides a unique approach to hydrologic modeling using
the Internet while integrating educational objectives. Based on sound
educational theory, this tool uses the latest mathematical and Internet
modeling techniques to deliver sound hydrology that is easily understood
by conservation managers, decision makers, and the general public.
It provides a vision of future applications of hydrologic models.
Questions or Problems? Let me know at parson@andassoc.com.
Last revision 9/9/01.
Created by Shane Parson, Copyright 1999.
