Introduction to VELMA

This webinar will introduce EPA’s Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management Assessments (VELMA) watershed simulator. VELMA links multi-scale hydrologic, biogeochemical, and ecological processes to represent integrated responses of vegetation, soil, and water resources to changes in climate and land use. VELMA is designed to inform best practices for protecting ecosystem services – clean water and air, production of food and fiber, reduction of greenhouse gases, etc. – vital to human health and wellbeing in mixed-use urban and rural watersheds. For example, VELMA effectively simulates how natural and engineered green and grey infrastructure can reduce transport of stormwater pollutants to streams and estuaries. Public webinar title, date: Introduction to VELMA, July 29, 2024 Speaker: Bob McKane, US EPA Office of Research and Development

Impact/Purpose

EPA’s Water Quality Modeling Workgroup is hosting a series of webinars to help water quality professionals to better understand surface water quality modeling and how models can be used to solve common problems that face water quality regulators. The webinars are focused on modeling as it applies to the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), Standards, and Water Quality Permitting Programs, but they are applicable to a wide range of audiences. These two hour webinars cover everything from modeling basics (e.g., model setup and calibration) to applied water quality modeling of different pollutants.

Citation

McKane, Bob, J. Halama, A. Brookes, S. Chokshi, AND K. Djang. Introduction to VELMA. ORD VELMA Puget Sound webinar for Tulalip Tribe partners, Corvallis, OR, July 29, 2024.