CE394K Surface Water Hydrology
University of Texas at Austin
The objectives of this project are the following:
To accomplish my objectives I am going to use the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
software model HELP - Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance. Once I have gathered
the requisite input information, I will complete an independent water balance exercise to
"calibrate" the model. The HELP model uses Soil Conservation Service curve numbers to predict runoff
and models infiltration as I = P- E- Runoff- dS. I would like to compare that method with other
methods learned in class this semester (Green-Ampt, if applicable, etc.). I would
further like to compare calculations made by the HELP model, which uses daily precipitation
values, to calculations made by considering the duration and intensity of individual rainfall
events.
As input to the HELP model and the separate calibration procedure, I will need the following
data for Austin (from as yet unknown sources):
Other input parameters will be based on suggested data given in the HELP model and in the Applied
Hydrology textbook. Design data will be based on my own experience with soils and landfills.
Once the model is up an running, I hope to do a small parametric study to evaluate the effects of
hydrologic factors such as evapotranspiration, runoff, and soil moisture on the infiltration and
subsequent leachate generation in landfills. Furthermore, I would like to study the effects of design
variables such as cover slope angle, liner type, and liner thickness on the amount of leachate generated.
At the end of the project, I hope to have accomplished the following:
I can be reached at k.schmitt@mail.utexas.edu