scholarly journals Calibration of a Distributed Hydrological Model in a Data-Scarce Basin Based on GLEAM Datasets

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 897 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Jin ◽  
Yanxiang Jin
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Hydrological Processes ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Great Effort ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Hydrological Models

The calibration of hydrological models is often complex in regions with scarce data, and generally only uses site-based streamflow data. However, this approach will yield highly generalised values for all model parameters and hydrological processes. It is therefore necessary to obtain more spatially heterogeneous observation data (e.g., satellite-based evapotranspiration (ET)) to calibrate such hydrological models. Here, soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) models were built to evaluate the advantages of using ET data derived from the Global Land surface Evaporation Amsterdam Methodology (GLEAM) to calibrate the models for the Bayinhe River basin in northwest China, which is a typical data-scarce basin. The result revealed the following: (1) A great effort was required to calibrate the SWAT models for the study area to obtain an improved model performance. (2) The SWAT model performance for simulating the streamflow and water balance was reliable when calibrated with streamflow only, but this method of calibration grouped the hydrological processes together and caused an equifinality issue. (3) The combination of the streamflow and GLEAM-based ET data for calibrating the SWAT model improved the model performance for simulating the streamflow and water balance. However, the equifinality issue remained at the hydrologic response unit (HRU) level.

scholarly journals Model Uncertainty Analysis Methods for Semi-Arid Watersheds with Different Characteristics: A Comparative SWAT Case Study

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lufang Zhang ◽  
Baolin Xue ◽  
Yuhui Yan ◽  
Guoqiang Wang ◽  
Wenchao Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Uncertainty Analysis ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Model Uncertainty ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Hydrological Models ◽  
Distributed Hydrological Models ◽  
Different Characteristics

Distributed hydrological models play a vital role in water resources management. With the rapid development of distributed hydrological models, research into model uncertainty has become a very important field. When studying traditional hydrological model uncertainty, it is very common to use multisite observation data to evaluate the performance of the model in the same watershed, but there are few studies on uncertainty in watersheds with different characteristics. This study is based on the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, and uses two common methods: Sequential Uncertainty Fitting Version 2 (SUFI-2) and Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) for uncertainty analysis. We compared these methods in terms of parameter uncertainty, model prediction uncertainty, and simulation effects. The Xiaoqing River basin and the Xinxue River basin, which have different characteristics, including watershed geography and scale, were used for the study areas. The results show that the GLUE method had better applicability in the Xiaoqing River basin, and that the SUFI-2 method provided more reasonable and accurate analysis results in the Xinxue River basin; thus, the applicability was higher. The uncertainty analysis method is affected to some extent by the characteristics of the watershed.

scholarly journals Regional Parameter Estimation of the SWAT Model: Methodology and Application to River Basins in the Peruvian Pacific Drainage

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3198
Author(s):  
Flavio Alexander Asurza-Véliz ◽  
Waldo Sven Lavado-Casimiro
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Parameters Estimation ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Hydrological Data ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Main Components

This study presents a methodology for the regional parameters estimation of the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model, with the objective of estimating daily flow series in the Pacific drainage under the context of limited hydrological data availability. This methodology has been designed to obtain the model parameters from a limited number of basins (14) to finally regionalize them to basins without hydrological data based on physical-climatic characteristics. In addition, the bootstrapping method was selected to estimate the uncertainty associated with the parameters set selection in the regionalization process. In general, the regionalized parameters reduce the initial underestimation which is reflected in a better quantification of daily flows, and improve the low flows performance. Furthermore, the results show that the SWAT model correctly represents the water balance and seasonality of the hydrological cycle main components. However, the model does not correctly quantify the high flows rates during wet periods. These findings provide supporting information for studies of water balance and water management on the Peruvian Pacific drainage. The approach and methods developed can be replicated in any other region of Peru.

scholarly journals A New Physically-Based Spatially-Distributed Groundwater Flow Module for SWAT+

Hydrology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Ryan T. Bailey ◽  
Katrin Bieger ◽  
Jeffrey G. Arnold ◽  
David D. Bosch
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Watershed Model ◽  
Groundwater Head ◽  
Physically Based ◽  
Spatially Distributed ◽  
Modeling Code

Watershed models are used worldwide to assist with water and nutrient management under conditions of changing climate, land use, and population. Of these models, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and SWAT+ are the most widely used, although their performance in groundwater-driven watersheds can sometimes be poor due to a simplistic representation of groundwater processes. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new physically-based spatially-distributed groundwater flow module called gwflow for the SWAT+ watershed model. The module is embedded in the SWAT+ modeling code and is intended to replace the current SWAT+ aquifer module. The model accounts for recharge from SWAT+ Hydrologic Response Units (HRUs), lateral flow within the aquifer, Evapotranspiration (ET) from shallow groundwater, groundwater pumping, groundwater–surface water interactions through the streambed, and saturation excess flow. Groundwater head and groundwater storage are solved throughout the watershed domain using a water balance equation for each grid cell. The modified SWAT+ modeling code is applied to the Little River Experimental Watershed (LREW) (327 km2) in southern Georgia, USA for demonstration purposes. Using the gwflow module for the LREW increased run-time by 20% compared to the original SWAT+ modeling code. Results from an uncalibrated model are compared against streamflow discharge and groundwater head time series. Although further calibration is required if the LREW model is to be used for scenario analysis, results highlight the capabilities of the new SWAT+ code to simulate both land surface and subsurface hydrological processes and represent the watershed-wide water balance. Using the modified SWAT+ model can provide physically realistic groundwater flow gradients, fluxes, and interactions with streams for modeling studies that assess water supply and conservation practices. This paper also serves as a tutorial on modeling groundwater flow for general watershed modelers.

scholarly journals Performance of HEC-HMS and SWAT to simulate streamflow in the sub-humid tropical Hemavathi catchment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. C. Sanjay Shekar ◽  
D. C. Vinay
Keyword(s):  
Model Calibration ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Curve Number ◽  
Coefficient Of Determination ◽  
Hydrological Models ◽  
Daily Streamflow ◽  
Compensation Factor ◽  
Elevation Model

Abstract The present study was conducted to examine the accuracy and applicability of the hydrological models Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC)- Hydrologic Modeling System (HMS) to simulate streamflows. Models combined with the ArcGIS interface have been used for hydrological study in the humid tropical Hemavathi catchment (5,427 square kilometer). The critical focus of the streamflow analysis was to determine the efficiency of the models when the models were calibrated and optimized using observed flows in the simulation of streamflows. Daily weather gauge stations data were used as inputs for the models from 2014–2020 period. Other data inputs required to run the models included land use/land cover (LU/LC) classes resulting from remote sensing satellite imagery, soil map and digital elevation model (DEM). For evaluating the model performance and calibration, daily stream discharge from the catchment outlet data were used. For the SWAT model calibration, available water holding capacity by soil (SOL_AWC), curve number (CN) and soil evaporation compensation factor (ESCO) are identified as the sensitive parameters. Initial abstraction (Ia) and lag time (Tlag) are the significant parameters identified for the HEC-HMS model calibration. The models were subsequently adjusted by autocalibration for 2014–2017 to minimize the variations in simulated and observed streamflow values at the catchment outlet (Akkihebbal). The hydrological models were validated for the 2018–2020 period by using the calibrated models. For evaluating the simulating daily streamflows during calibration and validation phases, performances of the models were conducted by using the Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency (NSE) and coefficient of determination (R2). The SWAT model yielded high R2 and NSE values of 0.85 and 0.82 for daily streamflow comparisons for the catchment outlet at the validation time, suggesting that the SWAT model showed relatively good results than the HEC-HMS model. Also, under modified LU/LC and ungauged streamflow conditions, the calibrated models can be later used to simulate streamflows for future predictions. Overall, the SWAT model seems to have done well in streamflow analysis capably for hydrological studies.

scholarly journals Effect of length of the observed dataset on the calibration of a distributed hydrological model

2015 ◽  
Vol 368 ◽  
pp. 305-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Cui ◽  
W. Sun ◽  
J. Teng ◽  
H. Song ◽  
X. Yao
Keyword(s):  
Hydrological Model ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Hydrological Models ◽  
Distributed Hydrological Model ◽  
Discharge Data ◽  
One Year ◽  
Parameter Values ◽  
Discharge Measurements

Abstract. Calibration of hydrological models in ungauged basins is now a hot research topic in the field of hydrology. In addition to the traditional method of parameter regionalization, using discontinuous flow observations to calibrate hydrological models has gradually become popular in recent years. In this study, the possibility of using a limited number of river discharge data to calibrate a distributed hydrological model, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), was explored. The influence of the quantity of discharge measurements on model calibration in the upper Heihe Basin was analysed. Calibration using only one year of daily discharge measurements was compared with calibration using three years of discharge data. The results showed that the parameter values derived from calibration using one year’s data could achieve similar model performance with calibration using three years’ data, indicating that there is a possibility of using limited numbers of discharge data to calibrate the SWAT model effectively in poorly gauged basins.

scholarly journals A Flexible Framework HydroInformatic Modeling System—HIMS

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 962 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lili Wang ◽  
Zhonggen Wang ◽  
Changming Liu ◽  
Peng Bai ◽  
Xiaocong Liu
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Arid Areas ◽  
Hydrological Models ◽  
Runoff Generation ◽  
Infiltration Capacity ◽  
Water Cycling ◽  
Generation Mechanisms ◽  
Semi Arid

It is important to simulate streamflow with hydrological models suitable for the particular study areas, as the hydrological characteristics of water cycling processes are distinctively different due to spatial heterogeneity at the watershed scale. However, most existing hydrological models cannot be customized to simulate water cycling processes of different areas due to their fixed structures and modes. This study developed a HydroInformatic Modeling System (HIMS) model with a flexible structure which had multiple equations available to describe each of the key hydrological processes. The performance of the HIMS model was evaluated with the recommended structure for semi-arid areas by comparisons with two datasets of observed streamflow: the first one of 53 Australian watersheds, the second one of the Lhasa River basin in China. Based on the first dataset, the most appropriate watersheds were identified for the HIMS model utilization with areas of 400–600 km2 and annual precipitation of 800–1200 mm. Based on the second dataset, the model performance was statistically satisfied with Nash-Sutcliffe Efficient (NSE) greater than 0.87 and Water Error (WE) within ±20% on the streamflow simulation at hourly, daily, and monthly time steps. In addition, the water balance was mostly closed with respect to precipitation, streamflow, actual evapotranspiration (ET), and soil moisture change at the annual time steps in both the periods of calibration and validation. Therefore, the HIMS model was reliable in estimating streamflow and simulating the water cycling processes for the structure of semi-arid areas. The simulated streamflow of HIMS was compared with those of the Variable Infiltration Capacity model (VIC) and Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) models and we found that the HIMS model performed better than the SWAT model, and had similar results to the VIC model with combined runoff generation mechanisms.

scholarly journals Comparison between SWAT and SWAT+ for simulating streamflow in a paddy-field-dominated basin, northeast Thailand

2020 ◽  
Vol 187 ◽  
pp. 06002
Author(s):  
Isared Kakarndee ◽  
Ekasit Kositsakulchai
Keyword(s):  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Paddy Field ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Northeast Thailand ◽  
Landscape Units ◽  
Water Assessment ◽  
Streamflow Simulation

The performance of the well-known Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and the new SWAT+ for streamflow simulation in a paddy- field-dominated basin was compared. The Lam Sioa River Basin, northeast Thailand (drainage area of 3,394 km2) was selected. The data inputs consisted of DEM, land use, soil, and climate (rainfall, temperature, sunshine hour, wind speed and humidity). The model parameters used the default values from SWAT database and daily simulation was conducted from 2005 to 2017. The division of sub-basins into “landscape units” is one of new features of SWAT+. The total number of HRUs defined from SWAT+ were higher than those from SWAT because the sub-basins derived from SWAT+ contained two landscape units (floodplain and upslope). With the default model parameters, the model performance indicators were found below the satisfactory rating. Both models simulated relatively high streamflow at the beginning of rainy season, while the observed streamflow was still not occurred. In paddy field, rainfall excess become ponding water, not surface runoff. The appropriate representation of paddy field in SWAT model should be further investigated.

scholarly journals Hydrological modeling for streamflow and sediment yield simulation using the SWAT model in a forest-dominated watershed of north-eastern Himalayas of Kashmir Valley, India

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarvat Gull ◽  
Shagoofta Rasool Shah
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Yield ◽  
Hydrological Modeling ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Curve Number ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Influence Strategies ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Performance Statistics

Abstract In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used to examine the spatial variability of sediment yield, quantify runoff, and soil loss at the sub-basin level and prioritize sub-basins in the Sindh watershed due to its computational efficiency in complex watersheds. The Sequential Uncertainty Fitting-2 approach was used to determine the sensitivity and uncertainty of model parameters. The parameter sensitivity analysis showed that Soil Conservation Services Curve Number II is the most sensitive model parameter for streamflow simulation, whereas linear parameters for sediment re-entrainment is the most significant parameter for sediment yield simulation. This study used daily runoff and sediment event data from 2003 to 2013; data from 2003 to 2008 were utilized for calibration and data from 2009 to 2013 were used for validation. In general, the model performance statistics showed good agreement between observed and simulated values of streamflow and sediment yield for both calibration and validation periods. The noticed insights of this research show the ability of the SWAT model in simulating the hydrology of the Sindh watershed and its reliability to be utilized as a decision-making tool by decision-makers and researchers to influence strategies in the management of watershed processes.

scholarly journals Appraising the capability of a land biosphere model as a tool in modelling land surface interactions: results from its validation at selected European ecosystems

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. North ◽  
G. P. Petropoulos ◽  
G. Ireland ◽  
J. P. McCalmont
Keyword(s):  
Land Surface ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Surface Interactions ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
In Situ Data

Abstract. In this present study the ability of the SimSphere Soil Vegetation Atmosphere Transfer (SVAT) model in estimating key parameters characterising land surface interactions was evaluated. Specifically, SimSphere's performance in predicting Net Radiation (Rnet), Latent Heat (LE), Sensible Heat (H) and Air Temperature (Tair) at 1.3 and 50 m was examined. Model simulations were validated by ground-based measurements of the corresponding parameters for a total of 70 days of the year 2011 from 7 CarboEurope network sites. These included a variety of biomes, environmental and climatic conditions in the models evaluation. Overall, model performance can largely be described as satisfactory for most of the experimental sites and evaluated parameters. For all model parameters compared, predicted H fluxes consistently obtained the highest agreement to the in-situ data in all ecosystems, with an average RMSD of 55.36 W m−2. LE fluxes and Rnet also agreed well with the in-situ data with RSMDs of 62.75 and 64.65 W m−2 respectively. A good agreement between modelled and measured LE and H fluxes was found, especially for smoothed daily flux trends. For both Tair 1.3 m and Tair 50 m a mean RMSD of 4.14 and 3.54 °C was reported respectively. This work presents the first all-inclusive evaluation of SimSphere, particularly so in a European setting. Results of this study contribute decisively towards obtaining a better understanding of the model's structure and its correspondence to the real world system. Findings also further establish the model's capability as a useful teaching and research tool in modelling Earth's land surface interactions. This is of considerable importance in the light of the rapidly expanding use of the model worldwide, including ongoing research by various Space Agencies examining its synergistic use with Earth Observation data towards the development of operational products at a global scale.

A comparative assessment of HEC-HMS and VIC hydrological models for simulating hydrological processes in Cauvery River Basin, India

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gowri Reghunath ◽  
Pradeep Mujumdar
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Hydrological Processes ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Hydrological Models ◽  
Water Balance Components ◽  
Cauvery River ◽  
Cauvery River Basin ◽  
The Impact

<p>The hydrological cycle is governed by a number of complex processes which occur at different spatial and temporal scales. Hydrological modelling plays an integral role in enhancing the understanding of hydrological behaviour and process complexities at a range of scales. Different hydrological models have various strengths in the representation of hydrological processes. The performance and applicability of each hydrological model can differ between catchments due to several catchment characteristics and dominant hydrological processes. With a wide variety of model structures, it is important to evaluate how different hydrological models capture the process dynamics in various catchments. This study aims at a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of two widely used hydrological models, namely, the HEC-Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) and the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model, in simulating various water balance components in the sub-catchments of the Cauvery River Basin which is a major river basin in Peninsular India. The basin is characterized by extensive regional variability in land use patterns, water availability, and water demands. The chosen models differ in their model structure complexities, methods adopted for simulation of water balance components, and the representation of geographical information, meteorological and physiographical inputs. The models are calibrated with respect to the observed streamflow at various gauge locations, and the simulated water balance components such as evapotranspiration and baseflow are assessed at annual and seasonal time scales. Also, the impact of the representation of the spatial distribution of input variables and model parameters (lumped versus distributed) are evaluated among the models. This work provides valuable insights into the applicability of various hydrological models in simulating hydrological processes in catchments with high regional complexities. Also, this work aids in the identification of effective models and model parameters which can be useful for hydrological data transfers between catchments as well as predictions in ungauged basins.</p>

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document