Winter water quality modelling under ice-affected conditions in rivers and lakes: A comprehensive review

Abstract

Numerical models are important tools for studying and predicting water quality in aquatic environments. Although there are many water quality models that are available (both freely and commercially), very few have capabilities to consider the effects of an ice cover in the simulation of water quality conditions in winter. This paper provides a comprehensive review of water quality models used to study winter water quality in rivers and lakes, focusing on their capabilities to simulate ice and how the ice interacts with the aquatic environment. Seven models are reviewed: CE-QUAL-W2, WASP, EFDC/EFDC+, MIKE HYDRO River, TELEMAC-MASCARET, ELCOM-CAEDYM/AEM3D, and HEC-RAS. The paper also reviews the modelling studies on seasonally ice-affected water bodies worldwide based on some of these models, coupled models, and other study-specific models. This review highlights the challenges associated with water quality modelling in ice-affected rivers and lakes, due to both model limitations and a scarcity of winter water quality data. The review also underscores the need for the collection of water quality data with equal emphasis on winter data, as this is not only necessary for accurate calibration of models during ice-affected periods, but also for developing a better understanding of how ice affects water quality and vice versa. This will allow important interactions between water quality and ice to be identified and integrated into models.