scholarly journals Assessment of satellite rainfall products for streamflow simulation in medium watersheds of the Ethiopian highlands

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 1147-1155 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Bitew ◽  
M. Gebremichael
Keyword(s):  
Rain Gauge ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Distributed Hydrological Model ◽  
Ethiopian Highlands ◽  
Watershed Area ◽  
Daily Streamflow ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Satellite Rainfall ◽  
Streamflow Simulation ◽  
Better Than

Abstract. The objective is to assess the suitability of commonly used high-resolution satellite rainfall products (CMORPH, TMPA 3B42RT, TMPA 3B42 and PERSIANN) as input to the semi-distributed hydrological model SWAT for daily streamflow simulation in two watersheds (Koga at 299 km2 and Gilgel Abay at 1656 km2) of the Ethiopian highlands. First, the model is calibrated for each watershed with respect to each rainfall product input for the period 2003–2004. Then daily streamflow simulations for the validation period 2006–2007 are made from SWAT using rainfall input from each source and corresponding model parameters; comparison of the simulations to the observed streamflow at the outlet of each watershed forms the basis for the conclusions of this study. Results reveal that the utility of satellite rainfall products as input to SWAT for daily streamflow simulation strongly depends on the product type. The 3B42RT and CMORPH simulations show consistent and modest skills in their simulations but underestimate the large flood peaks, while the 3B42 and PERSIANN simulations have inconsistent performance with poor or no skills. Not only are the microwave-based algorithms (3B42RT, CMORPH) better than the infrared-based algorithm (PERSIANN), but the infrared-based algorithm PERSIANN also has poor or no skills for streamflow simulations. The satellite-only product (3B42RT) performs much better than the satellite-gauge product (3B42), indicating that the algorithm used to incorporate rain gauge information with the goal of improving the accuracy of the satellite rainfall products is actually making the products worse, pointing to problems in the algorithm. The effect of watershed area on the suitability of satellite rainfall products for streamflow simulation also depends on the rainfall product. Increasing the watershed area from 299 km2 to 1656 km2 improves the simulations obtained from the 3B42RT and CMORPH (i.e. products that are more reliable and consistent) rainfall inputs while it deteriorates the simulations obtained from the 3B42 and PERSIANN (i.e. products that are unstable and inconsistent) rainfall inputs.

scholarly journals Assessment of high-resolution satellite rainfall for streamflow simulation in medium watersheds of the East African highlands

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 8213-8232 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Bitew ◽  
M. Gebremichael
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
East African ◽  
Watershed Area ◽  
Daily Streamflow ◽  
Satellite Rainfall ◽  
African Highlands ◽  
East African Highlands ◽  
Streamflow Simulation ◽  
Better Than

Abstract. The objective is to assess the suitability of commonly used high-resolution satellite rainfall products (CMORPH, TMPA 3B42RT, TMPA 3B42 and PERSIANN) as input to the semi-distributed hydrological model SWAT for daily streamflow simulation in two watersheds (Koga at 299 km2 and Gilgel Abay at 1656 km2) of the East African highlands. First, the model is calibrated for each watershed with respect to each rainfall product input for the period 2003–2004. Then daily streamflow simulations for the validation period 2006–2007 are made from SWAT using rainfall input from each source and corresponding model parameters; comparison of the simulations to the observed streamflow at the outlet of each watershed forms the basis for the conclusions of this study. Results reveal that the utility of satellite rainfall products as input to SWAT for daily streamflow simulation strongly depends on the product type. The 3B42RT and CMORPH simulations show consistent and modest skills in their simulations but underestimate the large flood peaks, while the 3B42 and PERSIANN simulations have inconsistent performance with poor or no skills. Not only are the microwave-based algorithms (3B42RT, CMORPH) better than the infrared-based algorithm (PERSIANN), but the infrared-based algorithm PERSIANN also has poor or no skills for streamflow simulations. The satellite-only product (3B42RT) performs much better than the satellite-gauge product (3B42), indicating that the algorithm used to incorporate rain gauge information with the goal of improving the accuracy of the satellite rainfall products is actually making the products worse, pointing to problems in the algorithm. The effect of watershed area on the suitability of satellite rainfall products for streamflow simulation also depends on the rainfall product. Increasing the watershed area from 299 km2 to 1656 km2 improves the simulations obtained from the 3B42RT and CMORPH (i.e. products that are more reliable and consistent) rainfall inputs while it deteriorates the simulations obtained from the 3B42 and PERSIANN (i.e. products that are unstable and inconsistent) rainfall inputs.

scholarly journals Extreme runoff response to short-duration convective rainfall in South-West Germany

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 10739-10780
Author(s):  
V. Ruiz-Villanueva ◽  
M. Borga ◽  
D. Zoccatelli ◽  
L. Marchi ◽  
E. Gaume ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Flash Flood ◽  
Rain Gauge ◽  
Hydrologic Model ◽  
West Germany ◽  
Structure Evolution ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Distributed Hydrological Model ◽  
Precipitation Frequency ◽  
South West

Abstract. The 2 June 2008 flood-producing storm on the Starzel river basin in South-West Germany is examined as a prototype for organized convective systems that dominate the upper tail of the precipitation frequency distribution and are likely responsible for the flash flood peaks in this region. The availability of high-resolution rainfall estimates from radar observations and a rain gauge network, together with indirect peak discharge estimates from a detailed post-event survey, provides the opportunity to study the hydrometeorological and hydrological mechanisms associated with this extreme storm and the ensuing flood. Radar-derived rainfall, streamgauge data and indirect estimates of peak discharges are used along with a distributed hydrologic model to reconstruct hydrographs at multiple locations. The influence of storm structure, evolution and motion on the modeled flood hydrograph is examined by using the "spatial moments of catchment rainfall" (Zoccatelli et al., 2011). It is shown that downbasin storm motion had a noticeable impact on flood peak magnitude. Small runoff ratios (less than 20%) characterized the runoff response. The flood response can be reasonably well reproduced with the distributed hydrological model, using high resolution rainfall observations and model parameters calibrated at a river section which includes most of the area impacted by the storm.

scholarly journals Assessing the Uncertainties of Four Precipitation Products for Swat Modeling in Mekong River Basin

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiongpeng Tang ◽  
Jianyun Zhang ◽  
Chao Gao ◽  
Gebdang Ruben ◽  
Guoqing Wang
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Mekong River ◽  
Distributed Hydrological Model ◽  
Parameter Uncertainties ◽  
Mekong River Basin ◽  
Daily Streamflow ◽  
Precipitation Estimates ◽  
Better Than

Using hydrological simulation to evaluate the accuracy of satellite-based and reanalysis precipitation products always suffer from a large uncertainty. This study evaluates four widely used global precipitation products with high spatial and temporal resolutions [i.e., AgMERRA (AgMIP modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications), MSWEP (Multi-Source Weighted-Ensemble Precipitation), PERSIANN-CDR (Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks-Climate Data Record), and TMPA (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission 3B42 Version7)] against gauge observations with six statistical metrics over Mekong River Basin (MRB). Furthermore, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), a widely used semi-distributed hydrological model, is calibrated using different precipitation inputs. Both model performance and uncertainties of parameters and prediction have been quantified. The following findings were obtained: (1) The MSWEP and TMPA precipitation products have good accuracy with higher CC, POD, and lower ME and RMSE, and the AgMERRA precipitation estimates perform better than PERSIANN-CDR in this rank; and (2) out of the six different climate regions of MRB, all six metrics are worse than that in the whole MRB. The AgMERRA can better reproduce the occurrence and contributions at different precipitation densities, and the MSWEP has the best performance in Cwb, Cwa, Aw, and Am regions that belong to the low latitudes. (3) Daily streamflow predictions obtained using MSWEP precipitation estimates are better than those simulated by other three products in term of both the model performance and parameter uncertainties; and (4) although MSWEP better captures the precipitation at different intensities in different climatic regions, the performance can still be improved, especially in the regions with higher altitude.

scholarly journals Extending flood forecasting lead time in large watershed by coupling WRF QPF with distributed hydrological model

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji Li ◽  
Yangbo Chen ◽  
Huanyu Wang ◽  
Jianming Qin ◽  
Jie Li
Keyword(s):  
Lead Time ◽  
Hydrological Model ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Weather Forecast ◽  
Forecast Model ◽  
Flood Forecasting ◽  
Rain Gauge ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Distributed Hydrological Model ◽  
Flood Warning

Abstract. Long lead time flood forecasting is very important for large watershed flood mitigation as it provides more time for flood warning and emergency responses. Latest numerical weather forecast model could provide 1–15 days quantitative precipitation forecasting products at grid format, by coupling this product with distributed hydrological model could produce long lead time watershed flood forecasting products. This paper studied the feasibility of coupling the Liuxihe Model with the WRF QPF for a large watershed flood forecasting in southern China. The QPF of WRF products has three lead time, including 24 hour, 48 hour and 72 hour, the grid resolution is 20 km × 20 km. The Liuxihe Model is set up with freely downloaded terrain property, the model parameters were previously optimized with rain gauge observed precipitation, and re-optimized with WRF QPF. Results show that the WRF QPF has bias with the rain gauge precipitation, and a post-processing method is proposed to post process the WRF QPF products, which improves the flood forecasting capability. With model parameter re-optimization, the model's performance improves also, it suggests that the model parameters be optimized with QPF, not the rain gauge precipitation. With the increasing of lead time, the accuracy of WRF QPF decreases, so does the flood forecasting capability. Flood forecasting products produced by coupling Liuxihe Model with WRF QPF provides good reference for large watershed flood warning due to its long lead time and rational results.

The Suitability of Eight Spatial Rainfall Products to Simulate Daily Streamflow in Semi-Arid Watersheds using the HBV model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamza Ouatiki ◽  
Abdelghani Boudhar ◽  
Abdelghani Chehbouni
Keyword(s):  
Hydrologic Modeling ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
False Alarms ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Daily Streamflow ◽  
Hbv Model ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Streamflow Simulation ◽  
Rainfall Estimates

<p>Accurate rainfall measurements are crucial for hydrologic modeling. They are mainly provided by rain gauges (RGs), which cover only limited areas. Thus, the gauging network density and distribution can be real constraints in water-related studies, particularly in semi-arid regions. This is the case of Ait-Ouchene and Tilouguite, two mountainous sub-watersheds of the Oum-Rr-Rbia river basin, located in Morocco. Several freely available Spatial Rainfall Products (SRP), with quasi-global coverage, provide rainfall estimates that can constitute a potential complement to the RGs. In this context, we intend to investigate the suitability of eight SRPs (ARC2, CHIRPSp25km, CHIRPSp5km, CMORPH-CRT-V1, GPM-IMERG-V6, PERSIANN-CDR, RFE2, and TRMM-3B42-V7) for daily streamflow simulation in Ait-Ouchene and Tillouguite for the period 2001-2010. We proceeded by a pixel-wise and watershed-wise comparison against data of twenty-six RGs in Oum-Rr-Rbia, using the PCC (Pearson Correlation Coefficient), RMSE, Bias, POD (Detection Probability), and FAR (False Alarms Ratio) metrics. Then, the SRPs were used to annually calibrate the HBV conceptual rainfall-runoff model in Ait-Ouchene and Tilouguite. The SRP-driven simulations’ accuracy was assessed against the gauged streamflow using the NSE metric.</p><p>Primarily, the model was tested in Ait-Ouchene through cross-validation, parameter sensitivity, and parameter interdependency analyses, using the RG and MODIS-SCA observations. The results showed that the HBV model can fairly reproduce the observed streamflow, with year-to-year variable reliability. Additionally, the hydroclimatic changes appeared to actuate the model parameters’ interdependency. The latter were found to combine either to shrink the storage capacity of the model’s reservoirs under extremely high streamflow or enlarge them under overestimated water supply, mainly from snow cover. Thus, the snowmelt sub-routine was deactivated, during the evaluation process, to avoid the SWE compensating the bias in the SRP estimates.</p><p>Regarding the SRPs evaluation, the rainfall estimates performed relatively poorly for both direct comparison and hydrologic modeling. Most SRPs yielded PCCs below 0.5, except for IMERG and RFE. They exhibited PCCs between 0.54-0.62 (IMERG) and 0.47-0.71 (RFE) at 50% of the RGs, with IMERG performing the best at eighteen out of the twenty-six RGs. IMERG prevalence was also observed in terms of detection capacity showing the highest PODs alongside PERSIANN. The SRPs detected many rainfall events as false alarms, with median FARs greater than 0.52. However, an analysis, where we considered only the grid-cells encompassing more than one RG, revealed that a portion of the false alarms were rainfalls that fell in the RGs’ vicinity. Moreover, the rainfall estimates were substantially biased, where the large rainfall totals were predominantly underestimated. For streamflow simulation, the SRPs’ performance seemed unsteady and varied depending on years and products. While IMERG and RFE frequently produced the best NSEs, CMORPH consistently showed the weakest results. In addition to the important bias contained in the SRP estimates, the low performance in hydrologic modeling can be related to the abundance of insignificant false alarms. Nevertheless, the SRPs provided better streamflow estimates than the RGs in Tillouguite, which has an unevenly distributed gauging network concentrated near the outlet.</p>

scholarly journals Event-scale power law recession analysis: quantifying methodological uncertainty

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
David N. Dralle ◽  
Nathaniel J. Karst ◽  
Kyriakos Charalampous ◽  
Andrew Veenstra ◽  
Sally E. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Impact Parameter ◽  
Power Law ◽  
Parameter Estimates ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Northern California ◽  
Event Scale ◽  
Methodological Choices ◽  
Daily Streamflow ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract. The study of single streamflow recession events is receiving increasing attention following the presentation of novel theoretical explanations for the emergence of power law forms of the recession relationship, and drivers of its variability. Individually characterizing streamflow recessions often involves describing the similarities and differences between model parameters fitted to each recession time series. Significant methodological sensitivity has been identified in the fitting and parameterization of models that describe populations of many recessions, but the dependence of estimated model parameters on methodological choices has not been evaluated for event-by-event forms of analysis. Here, we use daily streamflow data from 16 catchments in northern California and southern Oregon to investigate how combinations of commonly used streamflow recession definitions and fitting techniques impact parameter estimates of a widely used power law recession model. Results are relevant to watersheds that are relatively steep, forested, and rain-dominated. The highly seasonal mediterranean climate of northern California and southern Oregon ensures study catchments explore a wide range of recession behaviors and wetness states, ideal for a sensitivity analysis. In such catchments, we show the following: (i) methodological decisions, including ones that have received little attention in the literature, can impact parameter value estimates and model goodness of fit; (ii) the central tendencies of event-scale recession parameter probability distributions are largely robust to methodological choices, in the sense that differing methods rank catchments similarly according to the medians of these distributions; (iii) recession parameter distributions are method-dependent, but roughly catchment-independent, such that changing the choices made about a particular method affects a given parameter in similar ways across most catchments; and (iv) the observed correlative relationship between the power-law recession scale parameter and catchment antecedent wetness varies depending on recession definition and fitting choices. Considering study results, we recommend a combination of four key methodological decisions to maximize the quality of fitted recession curves, and to minimize bias in the related populations of fitted recession parameters.

scholarly journals Quantifying the effect of land use and land cover changes on green water and blue water in northern part of China

2009 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 735-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Liu ◽  
L. Ren ◽  
F. Yuan ◽  
V. P. Singh ◽  
X. Fang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Hydrological Model ◽  
Green Water ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Blue Water ◽  
Distributed Hydrological Model ◽  
Daily Streamflow ◽  
Runoff Model ◽  
Hydrological Effects

Abstract. Changes in land use and land cover (LULC) have been occurring at an accelerated pace in northern parts of China. These changes are significantly impacting the hydrology of these parts, such as Laohahe Catchment. The hydrological effects of these changes occurring in this catchment were investigated using a semi-distributed hydrological model. The semi-distributed hydrological model was coupled with a two-source potential evaportranspiration (PET) model for simulating daily runoff. Model parameters were calibrated using hydrometeorological and LULC data for the same period. The LULC data were available for 1980, 1989, 1996 and 1999. Daily streamflow measurements were available from 1964 to 2005 and were divided into 4 periods: 1964–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999 and 2000–2005. These periods represented four different LULC scenarios. Streamflow simulation was conducted for each period under these four LULC scenarios. The results showed that the change in LULC influenced evapotranspiration (ET) and runoff. The LULC data showed that from 1980 to 1996 grass land and water body had decreased and forest land and crop land had increased. This change caused the evaporation from vegetation interception and vegetation transpiration to increase, whereas the soil evaporation tended to decrease. Thus during the period of 1964–1979 the green water or ET increased by 0.95%, but the blue water or runoff decreased by 8.71% in the Laohahe Catchment.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Remotely Sensed Precipitation and Its Performance for Streamflow Simulations in Basins of the Southeast Tibetan Plateau

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 2577-2594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheng Wang ◽  
Suxia Liu ◽  
Xingguo Mo ◽  
Bin Peng ◽  
Jianxiu Qiu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Climate Prediction ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Station Network ◽  
Daily Streamflow ◽  
Areal Precipitation ◽  
Climate Prediction Center ◽  
Southeast Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Better Than

Abstract Four satellite-based precipitation products [TMPA real time (T-rt), its gauge-adjusted version (T-adj), Climate Prediction Center (CPC) morphing technique (CMORPH) real time (C-rt), and its gauge-adjusted version (C-adj)] were evaluated by a gauge-based synthesis dataset. Further, these products along with the CMORPH gauge–satellite blended version (C-ga), which is virtually C-adj in precipitation ungauged regions and is controlled by gauge analysis over regions of a dense station network, were intercompared with daily streamflow predicted by the distributed vegetation interface processes (VIP) model in the Lhasa and Gongbo basins of the southeast Tibetan Plateau. Results show these satellite-based products perform better in summer than in other seasons. Relative to the gauge-based synthesis dataset, for areal precipitation of the Lhasa basin from 2007 to 2010, biases of C-rt and T-rt are −10.49% and 157.88%, respectively. Biases of C-adj and T-adj are 3.42% and 24.12%, respectively. The C-rt bias is underestimation of the volume of observed rainfall correctly detected and overestimation of the volume of falsely alarmed rainfall, while T-rt bias comes from overestimation of the volume of observed rainfall correctly detected. Simulation efficiencies of stream discharges driven by T-adj and C-adj are better than those by T-rt and C-rt, which are consistent with the accuracies of these products. With benchmarked model parameters using the gauge-based dataset, C-adj presents well for simulation, while T-adj needs parameter recalibration to achieve good skills. Compared to T-adj and C-adj, better simulation could be obtained by C-ga in precipitation-gauged regions.

scholarly journals Comparing TRMM 3B42, CFSR and ground-based rainfall estimates as input for hydrological models, in data scarce regions: the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 2081-2112 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. W. Worqlul ◽  
A. S. Collick ◽  
S. A. Tilahun ◽  
S. Langan ◽  
T. H. M. Rientjes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rain Gauge ◽  
Hydrological Models ◽  
Nile Basin ◽  
Blue Nile ◽  
Blue Nile Basin ◽  
Satellite Rainfall ◽  
Trmm 3B42 ◽  
Rainfall Estimates ◽  
Better Than ◽  
Upper Blue Nile Basin

Abstract. Accurate prediction of hydrological models requires accurate spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall observation network. In developing countries rainfall observation station network are sparse and unevenly distributed. Satellite-based products have the potential to overcome these shortcomings. The objective of this study is to compare the advantages and the limitation of commonly used high-resolution satellite rainfall products as input to hydrological models as compared to sparsely populated network of rain gauges. For this comparison we use two semi-distributed hydrological models Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning (HBV) and Parameter Efficient Distributed (PED) that performed well in Ethiopian highlands in two watersheds: the Gilgel Abay with relatively dense network and Main Beles with relatively scarce rain gauge stations. Both are located in the Upper Blue Nile Basin. The two models are calibrated with the observed discharge from 1994 to 2003 and validated from 2004 to 2006. Satellite rainfall estimates used includes Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B42 version 7 and ground rainfall measurements. The results indicated that both the gauged and the CFSR precipitation estimates were able to reproduce the stream flow well for both models and both watershed. TRMM 3B42 performed poorly with Nash Sutcliffe values less than 0.1. As expected the HBV model performed slightly better than the PED model, because HBV divides the watershed into sub-basins resulting in a greater number of calibration parameters. The simulated discharge for the Gilgel Abay was better than for the less well endowed (rain gauge wise) Main Beles. Finally surprisingly, the ground based gauge performed better for both watersheds (with the exception of extreme events) than TRMM and CFSR satellite rainfall estimates. Undoubtedly in the future, when improved satellite products will become available, this will change.

scholarly journals Evaluation and Bias Correction of CHIRP Rainfall Estimate for Rainfall-Runoff Simulation over Lake Ziway Watershed, Ethiopia

Hydrology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Demelash Wondimagegnehu Goshime ◽  
Rafik Absi ◽  
Béatrice Ledésert
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Bias Correction ◽  
Correction Method ◽  
Rain Gauge ◽  
Rainfall Runoff ◽  
Runoff Simulation ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Scales ◽  
Daily Streamflow ◽  
Satellite Rainfall ◽  
Parameter Values

In Lake Ziway watershed in Ethiopia, the contribution of river inflow to the water level has not been quantified due to scarce data for rainfall-runoff modeling. However, satellite rainfall estimates may serve as an alternative data source for model inputs. In this study, we evaluated the performance and the bias correction of Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation (CHIRP) satellite estimate for rainfall-runoff simulation at Meki and Katar catchments using the Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning (HBV) hydrological model. A non-linear power bias correction method was applied to correct CHIRP bias using rain gauge data as a reference. Results show that CHIRP has biases at various spatial and temporal scales over the study area. The CHIRP bias with percentage relative bias (PBIAS) ranging from −16 to 20% translated into streamflow simulation through the HBV model. However, bias-corrected CHIRP rainfall estimate effectively reduced the bias and resulted in improved streamflow simulations. Results indicated that the use of different rainfall inputs impacts both the calibrated parameters and its performance in simulating daily streamflow of the two catchments. The calibrated model parameter values obtained using gauge and bias-corrected CHIRP rainfall inputs were comparable for both catchments. We obtained a change of up to 63% on the parameters controlling the water balance when uncorrected CHIRP satellite rainfall served as model inputs. The results of this study indicate that the potential of bias-corrected CHIRP rainfall estimate for water balance studies.

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