HEC-EFM and GeoEFM

Tools for restoration planning

John Hickey, Hydrologic Engineering Center, USACE

Connections between Flow and Ecology

Postel and Richter, 2003.

HEC-EFM
Flow regimes =
daily time series
of flow and stage
Relationships
link hydrology
and ecology
using life history
info and habitat
preferences
Statistical results
indicate direction
of change
Helps determine
eco-responses to
changes in river
and wetland flow
regimes

Example: Splittail Spawning

Beginning of
Season

End of
Season
Duration Interval
Duration Interval

Flow

Currently, EFM picks the

highest value within season
Advance
1 Day

Minimums define the

flow levels that support
egg incubation

Minimum
Value in
Interval
Minimum
Value in
Interval

Feature has been used

for fish spawning and
vegetation drowning
Time

HEC-EFM
Computes statistics
that are eco-relevant
(as defined by users)
Compare management
scenarios for multiple
eco-relationships

Statistical results
investigated spatially
with hydraulic models
and GIS

HEC-EFM - from Statistical to Spatial

Statistical results are input to hydraulic models to develop:
Water surface profiles
Depth and velocity grids
Inundation boundary maps
Shear stress

Splittail Spawning:
Gaged Conditions
Natural Conditions
Channel Habitat
(not suitable)

EFM SJ River Rch 9(2d) 3rd

River = San Joaquin Reach = 2d

Index Cross Sect

Legend
WS 10yr

25

WS IIC1
WS 5yr
WS 3yr

20

WS IIB1
WS IIC3
Elevation (ft)

WS 1.5yr

15

WS IIE1
WS IA3a
10

WS IA3b
WS AvgAug
WS IA5

5
Ground
Levee
Bank Sta

500

1000

1500
Station (ft)

2000

GeoEFM Partnering HEC-ESRI

Toolbar for Arc 9.2+

set up and manage project

GeoEFM Getting Started

manage
connection between
EFM and GeoEFM

manage data layers

within the GeoEFM project

GeoEFM View Selector

toggle between ecosystem aspect or water management scenarios

Layout controls

create posters and maps

Habitat Area
Tabulate
look at changes in area

corridors, distribution, interaction

Habitat Connectivity - Patches

10
7
12
5

6
3

13
11

9
14
4

1
8

EFM Applications and Relationships

Sandy River Delta, ORChinook salmon
Bill Williams River, AZ...............Cottonwood, willow, saltcedar
Mississippi River, MO................Waterfowl, bluegill, plants
Truckee River, NVMayflies and cottonwood
Ashuelot Rivers, NHMussels, host fish
Savannah River, GA/SC............Shad, bass, shoals lily
Sacramento/San Joaquin, CA...Splittail, geomorph, LWD

HEC-EFM now online

EFM available online
July 1st, 2008
Homepage: ~10,000 visitors
(first eight months)
Downloads: ~1,500 installs
(first eight months)
Future Releases
HEC-EFM 2.0
~Fall 2009
GeoEFM 1.0
~Spring 2010

FutureEFM - Continuous Simulation

HEC-EFM
File Menus

EFM Time Linking

Model Layouts

Model
Layouts

File

Edit

Use EFM parameters

to simulate dynamics.

Toolbar

Data

Track dynamics
temporally and
spatially

Model
Setup

Rely on other
software tools as
external data sources

Scenario
Builder
Study Area

Layout #1

Layout #N

Model Setup

Messaging area (messages are color coded)

Simulation