Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee Review of the Phase 6 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Model

Abstract

This report documents the conclusions and recommendations reached by a peer review panel convened by the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) to review the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership’s Phase 6 version of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Model (P6 WSM). The review was a “responsive review,”undertaken at the request of the CBP’s Modeling Workgroup and based on questions formed collaboratively by CBP and STAC. The review is intended to provide guidance for the CBP as they refine the P6 WSM for the Mid-Point Assessment in 2017. Overall, the review panel as a whole was favorably impressed with the integrated P6 WSM framework. Recommendations from the review panel focus largely on a longer-term suggestion for the CBP to more fully exploit the multiple model framework and incorporate estimates of uncertainty into the output. Other recommendations are for better justification and documentation of approaches taken.