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Oral

Hydraulics & Waterways

HEC-RAS 2D Modeling of the Roundaway Bayou-Quiver River Watershed in the Mississippi Delta using Re-Delineated Drainage Network Features

Monday, May 19, 2025
1:30 PM – 1:45 PM Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT)
Room: Room 2
Abstract Submission: The Mississippi Delta is a flat, alluvial floodplain landscape occurring across 19 counties in the U.S. state of Mississippi. This region is a major agricultural production zone, heavily dependent on hydrologic management via an extensive network of ditches and culverts. Consequently, this region is ineffectually modeled in existing databases, such as the USGS NHDPlus HR data. To better reflect regional hydrology, the authors created and field validated a shapefile of the drainage network for the Roundaway Bayou-Quiver River watershed, located within the Mississippi Delta. Next, a HEC-RAS 2D model was developed using the drainage network shapefile along with 1-meter resolution DEM data to assess surface hydrology and connectivity of the Bayou-Quiver River watershed. To enhance applicability for other regional watersheds, a sensitivity analysis of initial conditions and mesh resolutions was conducted to determine the level of detail necessary to represent watershed hydraulics. Due to the flat topography in the vicinity, lateral flow points from nearby watersheds were implemented as boundary conditions. Calibration was performed using NCEP Stage IV radar rainfall data on selected historical storms. Our resultant HEC-RAS 2D model established a basis for further hydraulic analysis of the Mississippi Delta which can enhance management planning for sustainable agriculture.

Learning Objectives/Expected Outcome (Optional) :