Vining–Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites Within the Red River of the North Basin, North Dakota

and Minnesota–Scientific Investigations Report 2004–5168

In cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, North Dakota State Water 

Commission, Red River Joint Water Resource Board, Red River Watershed Management Board, 

and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden 

and Lonetree Watershed Sites Within the Red River of the 

North Basin, North Dakota and Minnesota Red River of the North

River Mississippi

Missouri

River

James

Sheyenne

River

River

N O R T H D A K O T A

M I N N E S O T A

S O U T H D A K O T A

Lake of

the Woods

Upper

Red

Devils Lake

 Lake

Mille

Lacs

Lake

Sakakawea

Lake Oahe

Lower

Red

Lake

Lake

49 ̊

47 ̊

45 ̊

45 ̊

47 ̊

49 ̊

92 ̊

92 ̊

90 ̊

90 ̊

94 ̊

98 ̊ 96 ̊ 100 ̊ 102 ̊ 104 ̊

HAMDEN

WATERSHED WATERSHED

SITE

LONETREE LONETREE

WATERSHED WATERSHED

SITE

Grand

Forks

Fargo BISMARCK

Detroit

Lakes

Thief

River

Falls

Fergus

Falls

Turtle

Lake Harvey

Sabin

McClusky

RED

 RIVER

 OF

 THE

 NORTH

 BASIN

Scientific Investigations Report 2004–5168

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey Printed on recycled paper
Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage 

in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites Within the Red River of the North Basin, North Dakota and MinnesotaBy Kevin C. Vining
U.S. Department of the Interior

Gale A. Norton, SecretaryU.S. Geological SurveyCharles G. Groat, DirectorU.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2004For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services

Box 25286, Denver Federal CenterDenver, CO 80225For more information about the USGS and its products:Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGSWorld Wide Web: http://www

usgs

gov/
 iii

ContentsAbstract. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Description of study sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Data acquisition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Wetlands hydrologic model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Model parameterization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Model calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Simulation of runoff and wetland storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Model limitations and considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Figures

1. Map showing location of the Hamden watershed site in western

Becker County, west-central Minnesota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

2

M

h

i

l

ti

f th

L

t

t

h

d 

it

i

Sh

id
iv 

Figures, Continued

13. Graph showing measured and simulated daily mean water volumes

for wetland 1 in the Lonetree watershed site, central North Dakota,May 2000 through September 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

14. Graph showing simulated daily mean water volumes for the soil,

wetlands, and Bisson Lake in the Hamden watershed site, westcentral Minnesota, May 1999 through September 2002. (The BissonLake spillage threshold was 0.009.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

15. Graph showing simulated daily mean water volumes for the soil,

wetlands, and wetland 1 in the Lonetree watershed site, centralNorth Dakota, May 2000 through September 2002. (The wetland1spillage threshold was 0.47.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

16. Graph showing simulated daily mean water volumes for Bisson Lake

in the Hamden watershed site, west-central Minnesota, at spillagethresholds of 0.009 and 0.60, May 1999 through September 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

17. Graph showing simulated daily mean streamflows for the Hamden

watershed site, west-central Minnesota, at a Bisson Lake spillagethreshold of 0.60, May 1999 through September 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

18. Graph showing simulated daily mean streamflows during flood

diti

f

th

H

d

t

h

d 

it

t

t

l Mi

t
 v

Conversion Factors and Datums

Multiply By To obtain

Length

inch 25.4 millimeterfoot 0.3048 metermile 1.609 kilometer

Area

acre 0.4047 hectaresquare mile 2.590 square kilometer

Volume

acre-foot 1,233 cubic meter

Flow rate

cubic foot per second 0.02832 cubic meter per second
Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden 

and Lonetree Watershed Sites Within the Red River of the North Basin, North Dakota and MinnesotaBy Kevin C. ViningAbstract

Re-establishment of wetlands has been promoted by various groups to control future floods in the Red River of the North 

Basin in North Dakota and Minnesota. Therefore, a study was conducted to simulate runoff and wetland storage in the Hamden and Lonetree watershed sites in the Red River of the North Basin. Data from geographic information system analyses,collected weather data, additional historic weather data, and geomorphology were used in a wetlands hydrologic model to simulate precipitation accumulation, snowmelt, evapotranspiration, soil infiltration, seepage to ground water, surface runoff, 

watersheds (Woolhiser and Brakensiek, 1982). For example, variations in tillage techniques, alterations in wetlands and drainage channels, and urbanization can affect the amounts of evaporation, soil moisture, and runoff for a watershed. Brown (1988) noted that differences in land use appeared to have a major effect on the amount of runoff from a small watershed during a given year and that differences in precipitation 

appeared to have a major effect on the amount of runoff from a given watershed from year to year. Brown (1988) also noted that small watersheds that have considerable surface-water storage in wetlands and lakes had small amounts of runoff. However, if the surface-water storage in the wetlands and lakes was 

exceeded

the amount of runoff could be as large as the amount 
2 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites

the flood also may have been a result of underpredicted peak river levels, inadequate dikes, drained fields, and destroyed wetlands in the basin. Because re-establishment of wetlands has been promoted by various groups to control future floods, information was needed on the effects of wetland storage, drainage, and antecedent soil conditions on runoff in the Red River Basin. To obtain this information, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the North Dakota State Water Commission, the Red River Joint Water Resource Board, the Red River Watershed Management Board, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, conducted a study to simulate runoff and wetland storage for two small watersheds in the basin. This report describes the wetlands hydrologic model used to simulate the runoff and wetland storage and presents results of the simulation. Hydrologic data for May 1999 through September 2002 were used in the construction and calibration of the model. The calibrated model was modified with January through May 1997 data to simulate flood conditions. Information from the study may be useful to water-resource managers and researchers associated with watershed-runoff and wetland-storage issues.Description of Study Sites

For this study, a small watershed site, called the Hamden 

watershed site, was established in west-central Minnesota (fig

1)

and another small watershed site

called the Lonetree 

west. The soils of the site consist of mostly silty clay loams in the wetlands and loams in the uplands. Annual precipitation at the site is about 26.4 inches. Mean monthly temperatures range from about 6 degrees Fahrenheit in January to about 69 degrees Fahrenheit in July. The Lonetree watershed site is located at the western edge of the Red River Basin in mostly rolling terrain near the upper reaches of the Sheyenne River. The site has numerous wetlands. Drainage channels are not well defined in most areas of the site. Prominent features within the site include wetland 1, a 10-acre wetland that is located in the northeast corner of the site (fig.

4). 

The wetland is bisected by the Sheyenne River Tributary. A beaver dam was constructed in the Sheyenne River Tributary downstream from wetland 1 during 2001, but the dam was 

removed in June 2002. The Lonetree watershed site encompasses an area of about 7.2 square miles. Surface elevations 

range from about 2,090 feet above the North American Vertical 

Datum of 1988 in the southwest to about 1,800 feet above the 

North American Vertical Datum of 1988 in the northeast. The soils of the site consist of clay loams to silty clay loams in the wetlands and loams to sandy loams in the uplands. Annual precipitation at the site is about 17.7 inches. Mean monthly temperatures range from about 9 degrees Fahrenheit in January to 

about 71 degrees Fahrenheit in July.

Data Acquisition
96 ̊

95 ̊40'

Ogema

T. 142 N.

R. 43 W. R. 41 W. R. 39 W.

Wild

River

S.

Br.

Strawberry

Big Rat

Lake

 Elbow

Lake

Tulaby

White Lake

Earth

Lake

Red

River

of

the

North

River Mississippi

Missouri

River James

Sheyenne

River

River

N O R T H D A K O T A

M I N N E S O T A

S O U T H D A K O T A

Lake

of the

Woods

Upper

Red

Devils Lake

 Lake

Mille

Lacs

Lake

Sakakawea

Lake

Oahe

Lower

Red

Lake

Lake

0 40 80 MILES

Base from U.S. Geological Survey

1:2,000,000, 1972

103 ̊ 101 ̊ 99 ̊ 97 ̊

95 ̊

93 ̊

91 ̊

49 ̊

47 ̊

45 ̊

45 ̊

47 ̊

49 ̊

91 ̊

92 ̊

92 ̊

48 ̊

90 ̊

90 ̊

94 ̊

98 ̊ 96 ̊ 100 ̊ 102 ̊ 104 ̊

48 ̊

46 ̊

46 ̊

Grand

Forks

Fargo BISMARCK Detroit Lakes

Thief

River

Falls

Fergus

Falls

Turtle

Lake Harvey

Sabin

McClusky

Red River of the North Basin

Introduction 3
Red River of the North

River Mississippi

Missouri

River

James

Sheyenne

River

River

N O R T H D A K O T A

M I N N E S O T A

S O U T H D A K O T A

Lake

of the

Woods

Upper

Red

Devils Lake

 Lake

Mille

Lacs

Lake

Sakakawea

Lake Oahe

Lower

Red

Lake

Lake

0 40 80 MILES

Base from U.S. Geological Survey

1:2,000,000, 1972

103 ̊ 101 ̊ 99 ̊ 97 ̊

95 ̊

93 ̊

91 ̊

49 ̊

47 ̊

45 ̊

45 ̊

47 ̊

49 ̊

91 ̊

92 ̊

92 ̊

48 ̊

90 ̊

90 ̊

94 ̊

98 ̊ 96 ̊ 100 ̊ 102 ̊ 104 ̊

48 ̊

46 ̊

46 ̊

Grand

Forks

Fargo BISMARCK Detroit Lakes

Thief

River

Falls

Fergus

Falls

Turtle

Lake Harvey

Sabin

McClusky

Red River of the North Basin

Martin

100 ̊30' 100 ̊10'

S

T. 150 N. T. 150 N.

R. 76 W. R. 74 W.

Moesner

Lake

Ebel

Lake Kandt

Lake

Krueger

Lake

Skogmo

Lake

Lake Richard

Frankhauser

Lake

Sandy Lake

Alkali

Lake

Guyes Lake Johnson Lake

Wolf Lake

Mud Lake

 EXPLANATIONActive weather stationType of data measured at

(P,T,H,S)

4 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites
Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

North American Datum 1983

47 ̊

96 ̊ 95 ̊58'

96 ̊

95 ̊58'

95 ̊56'

95 ̊56'

95 ̊54'

47 ̊

47 ̊

95 ̊54'

46 ̊58'

46 ̊58'

46 ̊58'

Callaway

0 1/2 1 MILE

T. 141 N.T. 140 N.

R. 42 W. R. 41 W.

R. 42 W. R. 41 W.

2 (P)

1

4 (P)

BissonLake

Ditch 15

3 (P,T,H,S)

Wetland A

Wetlands Hydrologic Model 5
0 1/2 1 MILE

100 ̊28'

100 ̊28'

100 ̊26'

100 ̊26'

47 ̊41' 47 ̊41'

47 ̊40' 47 ̊40'

47 ̊39' 47 ̊39'

R. 77 W. R. 76 W.

T. 149 N.T. 148 N.

Sheyenne

River

Tributary

 EXPLANATIONPermanent gaging station and number andweather stationTemporary gaging station and number andweather stationType of data measured at weather station Precipitation

3

4

4 (P) 3 (P)

P

2 (P)

Wetland 1

6 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites
PRECIPITATION, IN INCHES

123

Wetlands Hydrologic Model 7
PRECIPITATION, IN INCHES

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

8 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites
Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

North American Datum 1983

47 ̊

96 ̊ 95 ̊58'

96 ̊

95 ̊58'

95 ̊56'

95 ̊56'

95 ̊54'

47 ̊

47 ̊

95 ̊54'

46 ̊58'

46 ̊58'

46 ̊58'

Callaway

0 1/2 1 MILE

T. 141 N.T. 140 N.

R. 42 W. R. 41 W.

R. 42 W. R. 41 W.

BissonLake

Ditch 15

Wetland A

HRU 1

HRU 2

HRU 3

Wetlands Hydrologic Model 9
0 1/2 1 MILE

100 ̊28'

100 ̊28'

100 ̊26'

100 ̊26'

47 ̊41' 47 ̊41'

47 ̊40' 47 ̊40'

47 ̊39' 47 ̊39'

R. 77 W. R. 76 W.

T. 149 N.T. 148 N.

Sheyenne

River

Tributary

Wetland 1

HRU 1

HRU 2

HRU 3

HRU 4

HRU 5

HRU 6

10 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites
Table 1. Selected parameter values for the wetlands hydrologic model.

[HRU, hydrologic response unit]

HRU

number

(see

figures 7

and 8)

HRU area

(acres)

Maximum

wetland

area

(acres)

Percent

of open

wetlands

Average wetland

water depth

at maximum

wetland area

(feet)

Open wetland

fractional-volume

spillage threshold

Open wetland

daily fractional

spillage volume

Fraction of

generated

runoff that

enters

wetland

Maximum

available

soil water

(inches)

Hamden watershed site

1 3,725 298 99 4 0.009 0.20 0.95 7.52 1,740 191 90 3 .250 .05 .60 7.53 865 95 90 3 .250 .05 .60 7.5

Lonetree watershed site

1 409 123 15 3 0.900 0.01 0.90 6.82 371 19 15 3 .900 .01 .90 6.83 930 93 15 3 .900 .01 .90 6.84 1,170 117 15 3 .900 .01 .90 6.85 848 85 15 3 .900 .01 .90 6.86 905 18 99 4.5 .470 .38 .99 7.0

Wetlands Hydrologic Model 11
Table 2. Initial wetland and soil water volumes for the wetlands hydrologic model.

[Because values were rounded, calculations may not be exact; HRU, hydrologic response unit]

HRU number

(see figures 7 and 8)

Initial

wetland

area

(acres)

Initial wetland

water volume

(acre-feet)

Initial

soil area

(acres)

Initial

soil

moisture

(inches)

Initial soil

water volume

(acre-feet)

Hamden watershed site (initial wetland water volume was assumed to be 5 percent of maximum)

1 67 60 3,658 5.5 1,6772 42 29 1,698 5.0 7083 21 14 844 5.0 352

 Total water volume 103 2,737

Lonetree watershed site (initial wetland water volume was assumed to be 55 percent of maximum)

1 91 203 318 4.85 1292 14 31 357 4.85 1443 69 153 861 4.85 3484 87 193 1,083 4.85 4385 63 140 785 4.85 3176 13 45 892 6.5 483

 Total water volume 765 1,859

12 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites
Wetlands Hydrologic Model 13

Table 3. Measured and simulated runoff, in inches, for the Hamden and Lonetree watershed sites.

Year Month

Runoff Monthly mean

absolute

Measured difference Simulated

Hamden watershed site

1999 May 0.151 1.101 0.03051999 June .636 .304 .01381999 July .608 .477 .00981999 August .211 .350 .00621999 September .556 .458 .00931999 October .107 .182 .00241999 November .012 .017 .00041999 December 0 .011 .00042000 January 0 .011 .00042000 February 0 .062 .00192000 March .422 .244 .01772000 April .108 .108 .00212000 May .030 .149 .00382000 June 2.128 1.779 .03852000 July .590 .481 .01592000 August 0 .194 .00622000 September .099 .551 .01522000 October 

174 

242 

0034
14 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites

Lonetree watershed site

2000 May 0.068 0.093 0.00352000 June .354 .418 .00492000 July .153 .144 .00302000 August 0 .081 .00262000 September .065 .051 .00152000 October .003 .034 .00102000 November 0 .036 .00122000 December 0 .024 .00082001 January 0 .024 .00082001 February 0 .021 .00072001 March .017 .027 .00132001 April .153 .044 .00432001 May .021 .023 .00122001 June .015 .046 .00162001 July .027 .037 .00102001 August .008 .021 .00072001 September 0 .017 .00062001 October 0 

016 

0005

Table 3. Measured and simulated runoff, in inches, for the Hamden and Lonetree watershed sites.—Continued

Year Month

Runoff Monthly mean

absolute

Measured Simulated difference
STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

2030405060708090

100110

MeasuredSimulated

Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage 15
VOLUME, IN ACRE-FEET

MeasuredSimulated

100200300400500

16 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites
VOLUME, IN ACRE-FEET

MeasuredSimulated

50

100150200250

Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage 17
STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

23456789

101112131415161718

MeasuredSimulated

18 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites
VOLUME, IN ACRE-FEET

MeasuredSimulated

253035404550556065

Summary 19
WATER VOLUME, IN ACRE-FEET

SoilWetlandsBisson Lake

400600800

1,0001,2001,4001,6001,8002,0002,2002,4002,6002,8003,0003,2003,4003,600

20 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites
WATER VOLUME, IN ACRE-FEET

SoilWetlandsWetland 1

400600800

1,0001,2001,4001,6001,8002,0002,2002,400

Summary 21
Table 4. Simulated runoff, in inches, for the Hamden watershed site at varying Bisson Lake spillage thresholds.

Year Month Spillage threshold

0.009 0.20 0.40 0.60

1999 May 1.101 0.682 0.242 0.230

June .304 .208 .127 .076July .477 .382 .343 .178August .350 .251 .177 .123September .458 .414 .394 .208October .182 .156 .140 .101November .017 .019 .021 .022December .011 .014 .016 .017

2000 January .011 .014 .016 .017

February .062 .029 .020 .021March .244 .204 .176 .140April .108 .077 .060 .050May .149 .077 .043 .039June 1.779 1.753 1.719 1.670July .481 .406 .385 .371August .194 .091 .063 .056September .551 .495 .418 .341October .242 .209 .192 .177November .586 .580 .585 .585December 

053 

057 

059 

061

22 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites
Summary 23

VOLUME, IN ACRE-FEET

Spillage threshold of 0.60Spillage threshold of 0.009

150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900950

1,0001,0501,100
STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

2030405060708090

100110

24 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites
STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

2030405060708090

100110120130140150160170

References 25
STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

2030405060708090

100110120130140150160170

26 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites
References 27

VOLUME, IN ACRE-FEET

Spillage threshold of 0.60Spillage threshold of 0.009

150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900950

1,0001,0501,1001,1501,2001,250
Table 5. Simulated runoff, in inches, for the Hamden watershed site during flood conditions and percent reduction in runoff from an

increased spillage threshold.

Year Month Spillage threshold Percent reduction 0.009 0.60

1999 May 1.101 0.230 79

June .304 .076 75July .477 .178 63August .350 .123 65September .458 .208 55October .182 .101 45November .017 .022 -29December .011 .017 -55

2000 January .011 .017 -55

February .010 .016 -60March .022 .018 18April 2.115 1.991 6May .335 .213 36June 1.993 1.875 6July .516 .402 22August .196 .059 70September .549 .345 37October .241 .178 26November 

583 

586 

1

28 Simulation of Runoff and Wetland Storage in the Hamden and Lonetree Watershed Sites