Choosing an appropriate water quality model-a review

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Water Resource Management
• Computational Hydrology

Background:

• Water quality models are essential tools for environmental management but are complex, requiring multidisciplinary expertise.
• Non-specialists face significant challenges in selecting the most appropriate model for specific water systems and variables.
• The complexity necessitates a structured approach to guide users in model selection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comparative guide for selecting appropriate water quality models.
• To assist users, especially non-specialists, in choosing the best model for their specific needs.
• To simplify the process of identifying suitable water quality modeling tools.

Main Methods:

• A comparative analysis of five widely used water quality models: AQUATOX, CE-QUAL-W2, SPARROW, SWAT, and WASP7.
• Evaluation of model particularities and applications based on recent usage (last 5 years).
• Development of a case study to demonstrate the model selection process using the proposed guide.

Main Results:

• All five analyzed models (AQUATOX, CE-QUAL-W2, SPARROW, SWAT, WASP7) are freely available and widely used.
• Each model possesses unique characteristics and is suited for different applications.
• The AQUATOX model demonstrated several advantages over the other models evaluated in the study.

Conclusions:

• The developed comparative guide effectively aids in selecting the most suitable water quality model.
• AQUATOX emerges as a highly advantageous model among the analyzed options.
• The guide and case study facilitate informed decision-making for water quality modeling practitioners.