Author(s): Haitham Ghamry; Christos Katopodis
Linked Author(s): Christos Katopodis
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: The impact of varying computational mesh discretization or resolutions on characterizing fish habitat, particularly on weighted usable area WUA calculations, was investigated. The River2D model and data from ten study reaches in three mild-slope Canadian rivers were used. An example, based on a preliminary investigation with adult Walleye for all study reaches investigated, illustrated how the choice of computational mesh properties could affect WUA calculations. Estimated changes or improvements in calculating the WUA were subsequently estimated. The results showed that the choice of computational mesh properties had a pronounced effect on the calculations of the WUA. Estimated changes or improvements in calculating the WUA for adult Walleye for the study reaches under investigation varied approximately from 7.00% to 29.00%. WUA estimates were quantified based on comparisons between the most favorable or optimal against the least desirable or coarsest mesh resolutions. The assumption was made that WUA calculations presumably become better estimates as the underlying hydraulic model’s grid spacing is reduced to approach optimal values.
Year: 2018