Modeling Hydrodynamics and Water Quality of Pit Lakes with PITLAKQ

Prerequisites

Modeling pit lakes is a complex task. he open-source software PITLAKQ provides a tool to model hydrodynamic processes in pit lakes including temperature stratification. Furthermore, transport of constituents and a variety of chemical and biological reactions can be modelled. PITLAKQ combines the abilities of `CE-QUAL-W2`_ and `PHREEQC`_. Participants need to be familiar with the topic of pit lakes and their water quality. Basic hydro-geo-chemical knowledge is assumed. Preferably, participants should have modeling experience with CE-QUAL-W2, PHREEQC, or comparable models.

They also need to have basic knowledge of important pit lake processes. Solid PC handling abilities are necessary. Since Python_ is used for some operations, basic Python knowledge is very helpful but not required. The course will cover the parts pf Python needed to operate PITLAKQ. More Python knowledge comes in handy for many pre- and postprocessing tasks as well as automating model runs. You can learn Python at `Python Academy_

Remote course

Participants will get login data to an online teaching system, consisting of a video conferencing system and a modeling environment (JupyterHub). This system has been used by Python Academy for several years. After the course, participants can install PITLAKQ on their own computers and use the same tools they learn in the course.

Topics

This course introduces PITLAKQ with a hands-on trainings. Participants will work along with the instructor setting up and running models. In addition, they will work on exercises on their own in small groups. The instructor will be available during exercises and provides help, if necessary.

It covers:

• Overview of PITLAKQ theory
• Getting familiar with the teaching system
• Working with JupyterLab
• Installing PITLAKQ
• Python basics for running models
• Creating a new project
• Setting up and running a hydrodynamic model
• Interpreting and presenting hydrodynamic results
• Setting up and running a water quality model
• Interpreting and presenting water quality results
• Varying the water quality processes
• Postprocessing model results
• QA

Exercises

• Example: Hydrodynamics only
• Example: Water quality calculations
• Example: Water quality treatment

PITLAKQ solves complex problems and offers many more features than can be covered in the workshop. The presenter will be glad to answer questions that go beyond the content described above. Each participant will receive a comprehensive course handout (PDF) and the PITLAKQ software. After the course, participants will be able to set up and run PITLAKQ models.

Instructor

Dr. Mike Müller is the author of PITLAKQ and has been using this software to model a variety of pit lakes. He is CEO of `hydrocomputing and has many years of modeling experience with a variety of hydrological and water quality models.