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<br /> <br />002,551 <br />Profiles of computed versus observed DO concentrations are shown on <br />figure 15. The DO profiles computed by the two models are almost identical <br />(fig. 15). To compare the DO concentrations computed by the two models <br />required some consideration to the methods by which the data for mean depth <br />and velocity of the stream are processed by each model. The U.S. Geological <br />Survey model uses mean-depth and velocity data entered into the computer <br />directly in the reaeration-rate computations; whereas, the Pioneer-I model <br />computes the mean depth and velocity using the following equations: <br /> <br />and <br /> <br />b <br />V=aQ , <br />b <br />D=alQ 1, <br /> <br />(3) <br /> <br />(4 ) <br /> <br />where <br /> <br />Q=mean flow in reach, in cubic feet per second; and <br />a, b, aI' bi=regression coefficients. <br /> <br />In the water-quality comparisons, the hydraulic coefficients a, b, ai' <br />and bi in equations 3 and 4 for the Pioneer-I model were adjusted until the <br />computed values of mean depth and velocity approximately equaled those used by <br />the U. S. Geological Survey model. In earlier computational comparisons, of the <br />two models, somewhat larger differences in the computed DO profiles were due <br />to discrepancies in the traveltime computations in the, Pioneer-I model. As <br />indicated by the model computations (fig. 15), the DO, sag in the study reach <br />is barely discernible. The computed DO values remained within 95,percent of <br />saturated DO concentrations. Relatively larger diel variations in DO concen- <br />trations were observed at several sites, especially in that part of the study <br />reach downstream from the main wastewater-treatment plant at Steamboat Springs <br />(sites YM-3 to YM-7, fig. 15) and downstream from Hayden (site YM-14, <br />fig. 15). <br /> <br />In addition to total nitrogen, the following nitrogen components were <br />modeled: Organic nitrogen (nonfiltered form), ammonia nitrogen, and nitrite- <br />plus-nitrate nitrogen. The temperature-corrected rate coefficients using <br />first-order exponential decay algorithms from the model calibrations were <br />organic nitrogen, 0.2 per day; ammonia nitrogen, 0.3 per day; nitrite nitro- <br />gen, 1.0 per day; and nitrate nitrogen, 1.7 per day. Each nitrogen-rate coef- <br />ficient was corrected for water-temperature variation by an empirical coeffi- <br />cient of 1.047 using an expression similar to equation 2. The rate coefficient <br />of 1.7 per day for nitrate nitrogen applies only to ,the U.S. Geological Survey <br />model. The Pioneer-I model accumulates the nitrate nitrogen as the final step <br />in its nitrogen-cycle computations. <br /> <br />The model-calibration results give estimates for nitrite and nitrate <br />concentrations separately. These values then were added together and compared <br />to the observed data. Total nitrogen, which was treated in both models as a <br />conservative constituent, was modeled to provide some indication of where the <br />nitrogen was being used or supplied in the study reach , other than from point <br />sources. <br /> <br />26 <br /> <br />~ - <br />