CRYSTAL - Cascade Regional Yield Simulation Analysis Model

Overview

The CRYSTAL Model was originally developed in conjunction with the Puget Sound Regional Synthesis Model (PRISM) project, a university-wide initiative. The objective of PRISM is to develop and sustain a dynamic and integrated understanding and description of the environmental and societal factors that will shape the Puget Sound region as it moves into the 21st century. The integrating theme is the movement of water through the atmosphere, across the land, into rivers and streams and throughout the waterways of Puget Sound.  Included in this movement of water is consideration of population growth and economic factors that drives municipal and industrial water demand in the region.  PRISM is a major University of Washington program that includes specialties from over a dozen different departments including the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.  PRISM is a culmination of many models including the CRYSTAL Model and Distributed Hydrology Soil and Vegetation Model (DHSVM) that tracks the movement of water through the Puget Sound region. 

Objectives

Predicting the availability and potential uses of water in the Puget Sound is an important aspect of regional water supply managers. The CRYSTAL Model was developed to serve this purpose. The model concentrates on water supply and instream flow needs for the cities of Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett. This model integrates the separate water supply systems to better utilize existing regional resources, viewing the Puget Sound as one watershed. The goal of the model is to illustrate the value and opportunities of a regional approach to water management, for example, in meeting the needs of both fish and people, or the future impacts of accelerated population growth, or the impacts of water rate adjustments on consumption.  Answering this challenge is becoming increasingly important as instream requirements are modified to address salmon listing on the Endangered Species Act. The model simulates water system response to different scenarios like; how will increased flow requirements for the salmon affect the reliability of the urban water supply; and when might water use curtailments be necessary; or can water in one basin be used to support fish production in another?  With such tools, regional decision-makers and the public can better understand the consequences of important policy and infrastructure decisions.  CRYSTAL Model is developed in a System Dynamic Modeling Environment called Powersim.  Powersim allows the model users of various skill and ability to interface with the model.  The model has a very basic user interface that allows the most inexperienced user the ability to operate the model and develop necessary water management data.  The more experienced operators can produce more sophisticated model modifications to represents future expansion or evaluation of other water management decisions.

City of Everett
City of Seattle
City of Tacoma

Primary Tasks

Amy Groome, Sherrill Nelligan-Doran, Amy Myers, and Sara Marxen developed the original CRYSTAL model.

Academic Goals

Future goals for CRYSTAL is use the model to assess purposed major improvements in water supply projects for the region.  In July, 2001 the Central Puget Sound Water Supplier’s Forum (Forum) proposed water supply improvements for the region.  In the next couple of months an evaluation of the proposed improvements will be assessed using the CRYSTAL. 

Presentations and Papers

A detailed description of the CRYSTAL model is located here.

References

Palmer, R. N., Reese, A. G., and Nelligan-Doran, S., E. (2001). “Tied by water.” Civil Engineering. 71(2), 50-53.

Updated 05/13/2005