Developing a Landlab Model to Study the Spatial and Temporal Variation of Idaho's River Water Quality: Application to Stream Temperature
Faculty Mentor Information
Dr. Angel Monsalve Sepulveda, University of Idaho
Presentation Date
7-16-2026
Abstract
The fluctuation in river temperature alters the resilience of regional energy-water (E-W) systems and aquatic ecosystems. On account of the variations and environmental consequences of river water temperatures, predicting thermal behavior in river water is beneficial for understanding the impacts temperature has on the dissolved oxygen solubility, nutrient cycling rates, and species performance. For this project the open-source Python framework Landlab was used to implement a heat exchange model to simulate river temperature dynamics in water flow over topography and time. We named this new component RiverTemperatureDynamics. Coupling our model with the hydrodynamics module OverlandFlow we are able to solve long-term systems and spatially dynamics environments. Temperature controlling variables were implemented to model the river water thermal dynamics assuming depth-averaged river-temperature conditions on a Landlab grid. The river water models are applied to idealized conditions. Due to the role temperature plays in the chemistry and biology of a river environment, creating a successful model of the thermal dynamics with Landlab’s modeling capabilities can function as a preliminary framework for the development of a more complex, multi-parameter river water quality model.
Developing a Landlab Model to Study the Spatial and Temporal Variation of Idaho's River Water Quality: Application to Stream Temperature
The fluctuation in river temperature alters the resilience of regional energy-water (E-W) systems and aquatic ecosystems. On account of the variations and environmental consequences of river water temperatures, predicting thermal behavior in river water is beneficial for understanding the impacts temperature has on the dissolved oxygen solubility, nutrient cycling rates, and species performance. For this project the open-source Python framework Landlab was used to implement a heat exchange model to simulate river temperature dynamics in water flow over topography and time. We named this new component RiverTemperatureDynamics. Coupling our model with the hydrodynamics module OverlandFlow we are able to solve long-term systems and spatially dynamics environments. Temperature controlling variables were implemented to model the river water thermal dynamics assuming depth-averaged river-temperature conditions on a Landlab grid. The river water models are applied to idealized conditions. Due to the role temperature plays in the chemistry and biology of a river environment, creating a successful model of the thermal dynamics with Landlab’s modeling capabilities can function as a preliminary framework for the development of a more complex, multi-parameter river water quality model.