Update of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area Regional Recharge Model

Metropolitan Council

Quick Facts

Recipient: 
Metropolitan Council
Source: 
Clean Water Fund
Recipient Type: 
For-Profit Business/Entity, Local/Regional Government
Status: 
Completed
Activity Type: 
Modeling
Counties Affected 
Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington, Wright

Regional recharge modeling with the Twin Cities daily soil water balance (SWB) model has been a fundamental part of the Metropolitan Council’s groundwater flow modeling effort and supports the Metropolitan Area Master Water Supply Plan. The SWB model is used to evaluate the impact of planned and potential land use and climate on recharge in the eleven-county metropolitan area, and supports the ongoing update of the regional groundwater flow model. Project objectives included: 1) incorporating new information into SWB recharge model; 2) expanding the extent of the SWB recharge model; 3) adding the capability to run predictive simulations with the SWB recharge model, and 5) evaluate SWB recharge model uncertainty. This data is currently being incorporated into the regional groundwater flow model.

Status: 
Completed
Start Date: 
February 2012
End Date: 
December 2012

Project Details by Fiscal Year

Fiscal Year(s): 
2012
Legal Citation / Subdivision: 
M.L. 2011 (Special Session) Chp. 6 Art. 2 Sec. 9
Appropriation Language 

$500,000 the first year and $500,000 the second year are for implementation of the master water supply plan developed under Minnesota Statutes, section 473.1565.

Fiscal Year Funding Amount: 
$141,418
Other Funds Leveraged: 
$0
Direct expenses: 
$100,000
Administration costs: 
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded: 
0
Measurable Outcome(s) 

The update of the Soil Water Balance (SWB) recharge model improves the Metropolitan Council’s capability to accurately predict recharge in the eleven-county metropolitan area under different land use and climate scenarios.  The recharge values generated by the SWB model are currently being entered into the updated groundwater flow model.

Recipient Board Members: 
Susan Haigh (Chair), Roxanne Smith, Lona Schreiber, Jennifer Munt, Gary Van Eyll, Steve Elkins, James Brimeyer, Gary L. Cunningham, Adam Duininck, Edward Reynoso, John Doan, Sandy Rummel, Harry Melander, Richard Kramer, Jon Commers, Steven T. Chavez, Wendy Wulff

Project Manager

Lanya
Ross
Metropolitan Council
390 Robert Street
Saint Paul
MN
55119
(651) 602-1803
Email: 
Lanya.Ross@metc.state.mn.us
Related Topics: 
Metropolitan Council, Water Resources, Modeling, Clean Water Fund, For-Profit Business/Entity, Local/Regional Government, Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington, Wright