CALIBRATION AND VALIDATION OF THE HSPF MODEL ON AN URBANIZING WATERSHED IN VIRGINIA, USA

Nonpoint source pollutants from agriculture are identified as one of the main causes of water quality degradation in the United States. The Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) was used to simulate runoff, nitrogen, and sediment loads from an urbanizing watershed; the Polecat Creek watershed located in Virginia. Model parameters related to hydrology and water quality were calibrated and validated using observed hydrologic and water quality data collected at the watershed outlet and at several sub-watershed outlets. A comparison of measured and simulated monthly runoff at the outlet of the watershed resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.94 for the calibration period and 0.74 for the validation period. The annual observed and simulated sediment loads for the calibration period were 220.9 kg/ha and 201.5 kg/ha, respectively. The differences for annual nitrate nitrogen () loads between the observed and simulated values at the outlet of the watershed were 5.1% and 42.1% for the calibration and validation periods, respectively. The corresponding values for total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) were 60.9% and 40.7%, respectively. Based on the simulation results, the calibrated HSPF input parameters were considered to adequately represent the Polecat Creek watershed.