Modeling and Data Analysis
UFI has decades of expertise in developing, extending, and applying advanced models to support freshwater research and management. By integrating robust field and quality laboratory data with innovative models, we provide actionable insights that support effective lake and watershed management.
Expertise in Modeling
UFI develops and applies a variety of modeling approaches to simulate physical, chemical, and biological processes in freshwater systems. We have utilized thermodynamic, mass balance, multidimensional transport models (1-D, 2-D, and 3-D), and GWLF-E to address complex water quality and ecosystem dynamics in lakes. These models are used to:
Evaluate nutrient dynamics and eutrophication
Assess sediment transport and deposition
Simulate watershed-scale hydrology and pollutant loading
Predict temperature, turbidity, and other water quality parameters in a changing climate
Our modeling philosophy emphasizes tailoring complex models to the specific goals of each project, ensuring reliable and efficient solutions that can be used for a range of applications.
Real-World Applications
UFI's modeling and data analysis services are instrumental in:
Developing lake and watershed management plans to protect and improve water quality
Supporting Nine-Element (9E) Watershed Management Plans that address nonpoint source pollution and meet state and EPA guidelines
Providing a foundation for Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) studies
Delivering technical support and recommendations to guide stakeholder decision-making
Example model simulation showing turbidity as colored contours and water current as arrows. Wind blowing across the water surface (left to right) generates waves and water currents that induce sediment resuspension in the shallower regions of the lake. The simulation period is during a time period when the lake is thermal stratified, resulting in the turbidity plume moving along the thermocline (at a depth of ~18 m).
Temperature simulation from mid-April through end of September. Early period shows significant instability as the temperature is seen fluctuating throughout much of the water column. By mid-summer the water column becomes strongly thermally stratified with the internal sieche seen in the rocking of the thermocline. In late summer the surface temperature is lower and the thermocline has deepen