scholarly journals Exploring the physical controls of regional patterns of flow duration curves – Part 4: A synthesis of empirical analysis, process modeling and catchment classification

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 4483-4498 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Yaeger ◽  
E. Coopersmith ◽  
S. Ye ◽  
L. Cheng ◽  
A. Viglione ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Flow ◽  
Middle Portion ◽  
Qualitative Synthesis ◽  
Statistical Parameters ◽  
Regional Patterns ◽  
Flow Duration ◽  
Analysis Process ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Physical Controls ◽  
Flow Duration Curves

Abstract. The paper reports on a four-pronged study of the physical controls on regional patterns of the flow duration curve (FDC). This involved a comparative analysis of long-term continuous data from nearly 200 catchments around the US, encompassing a wide range of climates, geology, and ecology. The analysis was done from three different perspectives – statistical analysis, process-based modeling, and data-based classification – followed by a synthesis, which is the focus of this paper. Streamflow data were separated into fast and slow flow responses, and associated signatures, and both total flow and its components were analyzed to generate patterns. Regional patterns emerged in all aspects of the study. The mixed gamma distribution described well the shape of the FDC; regression analysis indicated that certain climate and catchment properties were first-order controls on the shape of the FDC. In order to understand the spatial patterns revealed by the statistical study, and guided by the hypothesis that the middle portion of the FDC is a function of the regime curve (RC, mean within-year variation of flow), we set out to classify these catchments, both empirically and through process-based modeling, in terms of their regime behavior. The classification analysis showed that climate seasonality and aridity, either directly (empirical classes) or through phenology (vegetation processes), were the dominant controls on the RC. Quantitative synthesis of these results determined that these classes were indeed related to the FDC through its slope and related statistical parameters. Qualitative synthesis revealed much diversity in the shapes of the FDCs even within each climate-based homogeneous class, especially in the low-flow tails, suggesting that catchment properties may have become the dominant controls. Thus, while the middle portion of the FDC contains the average response of the catchment, and is mainly controlled by climate, the tails of the FDC, notably the low-flow tails, are mainly controlled by catchment properties such as geology and soils. The regime behavior explains only part of the FDC; to gain a deeper understanding of the physical controls on the FDC, these extremes must be analyzed as well. Thus, to completely separate the climate controls from the catchment controls, the roles of catchment properties such as soils, geology, topography etc. must be explored in detail.

scholarly journals Exploring the physical controls of regional patterns of flow duration curves – Part 4: A synthesis of empirical analysis, process modeling and catchment classification

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 7131-7180 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Yaeger ◽  
E. Coopersmith ◽  
S. Ye ◽  
L. Cheng ◽  
A. Viglione ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Flow ◽  
Middle Portion ◽  
Qualitative Synthesis ◽  
Statistical Parameters ◽  
Regional Patterns ◽  
Flow Duration ◽  
Analysis Process ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Physical Controls ◽  
Flow Duration Curves

Abstract. The paper reports on a four-pronged study of the physical controls on regional patterns of the Flow Duration Curve (FDC). This involved a comparative analysis of long-term continuous data from nearly 200 catchments around the US, encompassing a wide range of climates, geology and ecology. The analysis was done from three different perspectives – statistical analysis, process-based modeling, and data-based classification, followed by a synthesis, which is the focus of this paper. Streamflow data was separated into fast and slow flow responses, and associated signatures, and both total flow and its components were analyzed to generate patterns. Regional patterns emerged in all aspects of the study. The mixed gamma distribution described well the shape of the FDC; regression analysis indicated that certain climate and catchment properties were first order controls on the shape of the FDC. In order to understand the spatial patterns revealed by the statistical study, and guided by the hypothesis that the middle portion of the FDC is a function of the regime curve (RC, mean within year variation of flow), we set out to classify these catchments, both empirically and through process-based modeling, in terms of their regime behavior. The classification analysis showed that climate seasonality and aridity, either directly (empirical classes) or through phenology (vegetation processes), were the dominant controls on the RC. Quantitative synthesis of these results determined that these classes were indeed related to the FDC through its slope and related statistical parameters. Qualitative synthesis revealed much diversity in the shapes of the FDCs even within each climate-based homogeneous class, especially in the low-flow tails, suggesting that catchment properties may have become the dominant controls. Thus, while the middle portion of the FDC contains the average response of the catchment, and is mainly controlled by climate, the tails of the FDC, notably the low-flow tails, are mainly controlled by catchment properties such as geology and soils. The regime behavior explains only part of the FDC; to gain a deeper understanding of the physical controls on the FDC, these extremes must be analyzed as well. Thus, to completely separate the climate controls from the catchment controls, the roles of catchment properties such as soils, geology, topography etc., must be explored in detail.

scholarly journals Exploring the physical controls of regional patterns of flow duration curves – Part 1: Insights from statistical analyses

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 4435-4446 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Cheng ◽  
M. Yaeger ◽  
A. Viglione ◽  
E. Coopersmith ◽  
S. Ye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Distribution ◽  
Classical Method ◽  
Regional Patterns ◽  
Flow Duration ◽  
Total Runoff ◽  
Time Symmetry ◽  
Physical Controls ◽  
Flow Duration Curves ◽  
Predictions In Ungauged Basins ◽  
Fast Flow

Abstract. The flow duration curve (FDC) is a classical method used to graphically represent the relationship between the frequency and magnitude of streamflow. In this sense it represents a compact signature of temporal runoff variability that can also be used to diagnose catchment rainfall-runoff responses, including similarity and differences between catchments. This paper is aimed at extracting regional patterns of the FDCs from observed daily flow data and elucidating the physical controls underlying these patterns, as a way to aid towards their regionalization and predictions in ungauged basins. The FDCs of total runoff (TFDC) using multi-decadal streamflow records for 197 catchments across the continental United States are separated into the FDCs of two runoff components, i.e., fast flow (FFDC) and slow flow (SFDC). In order to compactly display these regional patterns, the 3-parameter mixed gamma distribution is employed to characterize the shapes of the normalized FDCs (i.e., TFDC, FFDC and SFDC) over the entire data record. This is repeated to also characterize the between-year variability of "annual" FDCs for 8 representative catchments chosen across a climate gradient. Results show that the mixed gamma distribution can adequately capture the shapes of the FDCs and their variation between catchments and also between years. Comparison between the between-catchment and between-year variability of the FDCs revealed significant space-time symmetry. Possible relationships between the parameters of the fitted mixed gamma distribution and catchment climatic and physiographic characteristics are explored in order to decipher and point to the underlying physical controls. The baseflow index (a surrogate for the collective impact of geology, soils, topography and vegetation, as well as climate) is found to be the dominant control on the shapes of the normalized TFDC and SFDC, whereas the product of maximum daily precipitation and the fraction of non-rainy days was found to control the shape of the FFDC. These relationships, arising from the separation of total runoff into its two components, provide a potential physical basis for regionalization of FDCs, as well as providing a conceptual framework for developing deeper process-based understanding of the FDCs.

scholarly journals Exploring the physical controls of regional patterns of flow duration curves – Part 3: A catchment classification system based on regime curve indicators

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 4467-4482 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Coopersmith ◽  
M. A. Yaeger ◽  
S. Ye ◽  
L. Cheng ◽  
M. Sivapalan
Keyword(s):  
Classification System ◽  
Classification Tree ◽  
Aridity Index ◽  
Ungauged Catchments ◽  
Regional Patterns ◽  
Flow Duration ◽  
Id3 Algorithm ◽  
Physical Controls ◽  
Runoff Regime ◽  
Flow Duration Curves

Abstract. Predictions of hydrological responses in ungauged catchments can benefit from a classification scheme that can organize and pool together catchments that exhibit a level of hydrologic similarity, especially similarity in some key variable or signature of interest. Since catchments are complex systems with a level of self-organization arising from co-evolution of climate and landscape properties, including vegetation, there is much to be gained from developing a classification system based on a comparative study of a population of catchments across climatic and landscape gradients. The focus of this paper is on climate seasonality and seasonal runoff regime, as characterized by the ensemble mean of within-year variation of climate and runoff. The work on regime behavior is part of an overall study of the physical controls on regional patterns of flow duration curves (FDCs), motivated by the fact that regime behavior leaves a major imprint upon the shape of FDCs, especially the slope of the FDCs. As an exercise in comparative hydrology, the paper seeks to assess the regime behavior of 428 catchments from the MOPEX database simultaneously, classifying and regionalizing them into homogeneous or hydrologically similar groups. A decision tree is developed on the basis of a metric chosen to characterize similarity of regime behavior, using a variant of the Iterative Dichotomiser 3 (ID3) algorithm to form a classification tree and associated catchment classes. In this way, several classes of catchments are distinguished, in which the connection between the five catchments' regime behavior and climate and catchment properties becomes clearer. Only four similarity indices are entered into the algorithm, all of which are obtained from smoothed daily regime curves of climatic variables and runoff. Results demonstrate that climate seasonality plays the most significant role in the classification of US catchments, with rainfall timing and climatic aridity index playing somewhat secondary roles in the organization of the catchments. In spite of the tremendous heterogeneity of climate, topography, and runoff behavior across the continental United States, 331 of the 428 catchments studied are seen to fall into only six dominant classes.

scholarly journals Exploring the physical controls of regional patterns of flow duration curves – Part 1: Insights from statistical analyses

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 7001-7034 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Cheng ◽  
M. Yaeger ◽  
A. Viglione ◽  
E. Coopersmith ◽  
S. Ye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Distribution ◽  
Classical Method ◽  
Regional Patterns ◽  
Flow Duration ◽  
Total Runoff ◽  
Time Symmetry ◽  
Physical Controls ◽  
Flow Duration Curves ◽  
Predictions In Ungauged Basins ◽  
Fast Flow

Abstract. The Flow Duration Curve (FDC) is a classical method used to graphically represent the relationship between the frequency and magnitude of streamflow. In this sense it represents a compact signature of temporal runoff variability that can also be used to diagnose catchment rainfall-runoff responses, including similarity and differences between catchments. This paper is aimed at extracting regional patterns of the FDCs from observed daily flow data and elucidating the physical controls underlying these patterns, as a way to aid towards their regionalization and predictions in ungauged basins. The FDCs of total runoff (TFDC) using multi-decadal streamflow records for 197 catchments across the continental United States are separated into the FDCs of two runoff components, i.e., fast flow (FFDC) and slow flow (SFDC). In order to compactly display these regional patterns the 3-parameter mixed gamma distribution is employed to characterize the shapes of the normalized FDCs (i.e., TFDC, FFDC and SFDC) over the entire data record. This is repeated to also characterize the between-year variability of "annual" FDCs for 8 representative catchments chosen across a climate gradient. Results show that the mixed gamma distribution can adequately capture the shapes of the FDCs and their variation between catchments and also between years. Comparison between the between-catchment and between-year variability of the FDCs revealed significant space-time symmetry. Possible relationships between the parameters of the fitted mixed gamma distribution and catchment climatic and physiographic characteristics are explored in order to decipher and point to the underlying physical controls. The baseflow index (a surrogate for the collective impact of geology, soils, topology and vegetation, as well as climate) is found to be the dominant control on the shapes of the normalized TFDC and SFDC, whereas the product of maximum daily precipitation and the fraction of non-rainy days was found to control the shape of the FFDC. These relationships, arising from the separation of total runoff into its two components, provide a potential physical basis for regionalization of FDCs, as well as providing a conceptual framework for developing deeper process-based understanding of the FDCs.

scholarly journals Analytical flow duration curves for summer streamflow in Switzerland

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 2377-2389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Clara Santos ◽  
Maria Manuela Portela ◽  
Andrea Rinaldo ◽  
Bettina Schaefli
Keyword(s):  
Linear Model ◽  
Nonlinear Model ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Flow Duration ◽  
Daily Precipitation Data ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Flow Duration Curves

Abstract. This paper proposes a systematic assessment of the performance of an analytical modeling framework for streamflow probability distributions for a set of 25 Swiss catchments. These catchments show a wide range of hydroclimatic regimes, including namely snow-influenced streamflows. The model parameters are calculated from a spatially averaged gridded daily precipitation data set and from observed daily discharge time series, both in a forward estimation mode (direct parameter calculation from observed data) and in an inverse estimation mode (maximum likelihood estimation). The performance of the linear and the nonlinear model versions is assessed in terms of reproducing observed flow duration curves and their natural variability. Overall, the nonlinear model version outperforms the linear model for all regimes, but the linear model shows a notable performance increase with catchment elevation. More importantly, the obtained results demonstrate that the analytical model performs well for summer discharge for all analyzed streamflow regimes, ranging from rainfall-driven regimes with summer low flow to snow and glacier regimes with summer high flow. These results suggest that the model's encoding of discharge-generating events based on stochastic soil moisture dynamics is more flexible than previously thought. As shown in this paper, the presence of snowmelt or ice melt is accommodated by a relative increase in the discharge-generating frequency, a key parameter of the model. Explicit quantification of this frequency increase as a function of mean catchment meteorological conditions is left for future research.

scholarly journals Exploring the physical controls of regional patterns of flow duration curves – Part 2: Role of seasonality and associated process controls

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 7035-7084 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Ye ◽  
M. A. Yaeger ◽  
E. Coopersmith ◽  
L. Cheng ◽  
M. Sivapalan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Model Complexity ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Regional Patterns ◽  
Flow Duration ◽  
The North ◽  
Physical Controls ◽  
Flow Duration Curves ◽  
Process Controls

Abstract. The goal of this paper is to explore the process controls underpinning regional patterns of variations of runoff regime behavior, i.e., the mean seasonal variation of runoff within the year, across the continental United States. The ultimate motivation is to use the resulting process understanding to generate insights into the physical controls of Flow Duration Curves, in view of the close connection between these two alternative signatures of runoff variability. To achieve these aims a top-down modeling approach is adopted; we start with a simple two-stage bucket model, which is systematically enhanced through addition of new processes on the basis of model performance assessment in relation to observations, using rainfall-runoff data from 197 United States catchments belonging to the MOPEX dataset. Exploration of dominant processes and the determination of required model complexity are carried out through model-based sensitivity analyses, guided by a performance metric. Results indicated systematic regional trends in dominant processes: snowmelt was a key process control in cold mountainous catchments in the north and north-west, whereas snowmelt and vegetation cover dynamics were key controls in the north-east; seasonal vegetation cover dynamics (phenology and interception) were important along the Appalachian mountain range in the east. A simple two-bucket model (with no other additions) was found to be adequate in warm humid catchments along the west coast and in the south-east, with both regions exhibiting strong seasonality, whereas much more complex models are needed in the dry south and south-west. Agricultural catchments in the mid-west were found to be difficult to predict with the use of simple lumped models, due to the strong influence of human activities. Overall, these process controls arose from general east-west (seasonality) and north-south (aridity, temperature) trends in climate (with some exceptions), compounded by complex dynamics of vegetation cover and to a less extent by landscape factors (soils, geology and topography).

scholarly journals Exploring the physical controls of regional patterns of flow duration curves – Part 3: A catchment classification system based on seasonality and runoff regime

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 7085-7129 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Coopersmith ◽  
M. Yaeger ◽  
S. Ye ◽  
L. Cheng ◽  
M. Sivapalan
Keyword(s):  
Classification System ◽  
Classification Tree ◽  
Aridity Index ◽  
Ungauged Catchments ◽  
Regional Patterns ◽  
Flow Duration ◽  
Id3 Algorithm ◽  
Physical Controls ◽  
Runoff Regime ◽  
Flow Duration Curves

Abstract. Predictions of hydrological responses in ungauged catchments can benefit from a classification scheme that can organize and pool together catchments that exhibit a level of hydrologic similarity, especially similarity in some key variable or signature of interest. Since catchments are complex systems with a level of self-organization arising from co-evolution of climate and landscape properties, including vegetation, there is much to be gained from developing a classification system based on a comparative study of a population of catchments across climatic and landscape gradients. The focus of this paper is on climate seasonality and seasonal runoff regime, as characterized by the ensemble mean of within-year variation of climate and runoff. The work on regime behavior is part of an overall study of the physical controls on regional patterns of Flow Duration Curves (FDCs), motivated by the fact that regime behavior leaves a major imprint upon the shape of FDCs, especially the slope of the FDCs. As an exercise in comparative hydrology, the paper seeks to assess the regime behavior of 428 catchments from the MOPEX database simultaneously, classifying and regionalizing them into homogeneous or hydrologically similar groups. A decision tree is developed on the basis of a metric chosen to characterize similarity of regime behavior, using a variant of the Iterative Dichotomiser (ID3) algorithm to form a classification tree and associated catchment classes. In this way, several classes of catchments are distinguished, in which the connection between the catchments' regime behavior and climate and catchment properties becomes self-evident. Only four similarity indices are entered into the algorithm, all of which are obtained from smoothed daily regime curves of climatic variables and runoff. Results demonstrate that climate seasonality plays the most significant role in the classification of US catchments, with rainfall timing and climatic aridity index playing somewhat secondary roles in the organization of the catchments. In spite of the tremendous heterogeneity of climate, topography, and runoff behavior across the continental US, 331 of the 428 catchments studied are seen to fall into only six dominant classes.

scholarly journals Classifying low flow hydrological regimes at a regional scale

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 3741-3750 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Kirkby ◽  
F. Gallart ◽  
T. R. Kjeldsen ◽  
B. J. Irvine ◽  
J. Froebrich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Regional Scale ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Hydraulic Geometry ◽  
Climate Data ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Flow Duration ◽  
River Bed ◽  
Climatic Scenarios ◽  
Flow Duration Curves

Abstract. The paper uses a simple water balance model that partitions the precipitation between actual evapotranspiration, quick flow and delayed flow, and has sufficient complexity to capture the essence of climate and vegetation controls on this partitioning. Using this model, monthly flow duration curves have been constructed from climate data across Europe to address the relative frequency of ecologically critical low flow stages in semi-arid rivers, when flow commonly persists only in disconnected pools in the river bed. The hydrological model is based on a dynamic partitioning of precipitation to estimate water available for evapotranspiration and plant growth and for residual runoff. The duration curve for monthly flows has then been analysed to give an estimate of bankfull flow based on recurrence interval. Arguing from observed ratios of cross-sectional areas at flood and low flows, hydraulic geometry suggests that disconnected flow under "pool" conditions is approximately 0.1% of bankfull flow. Flow duration curves define a measure of bankfull discharge on the basis of frequency. The corresponding frequency for pools is then read from the duration curve, using this (0.1%) ratio to estimate pool discharge from bank full discharge. The flow duration curve then provides an estimate of the frequency of poorly connected pool conditions, corresponding to this discharge, that constrain survival of river-dwelling arthropods and fish. The methodology has here been applied across Europe at 15 km resolution, and the potential is demonstrated for applying the methodology under alternative climatic scenarios.

scholarly journals Catchment classification by runoff behaviour with self-organizing maps (SOM)

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 3047-3083 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Ley ◽  
M. C. Casper ◽  
H. Hellebrand ◽  
R. Merz
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Ungauged Catchments ◽  
Self Organizing Maps ◽  
Response Behaviour ◽  
Flow Duration ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Flow Duration Curves ◽  
Climatic Characteristics ◽  
Self Organizing

Abstract. Catchments show a wide range of response behaviour, even if they are adjacent. For many purposes it is necessary to characterise and classify them, e.g. for regionalisation, prediction in ungauged catchments, model parameterisation. In this study, we investigate hydrological similarity of catchments with respect to their response behaviour. We analyse more than 8200 event runoff coefficients (ERCs) and flow duration curves of 53 gauged catchments in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, for the period from 1993 to 2008, covering a huge variability of weather and runoff conditions. The spatio-temporal variability of event-runoff coefficients and flow duration curves are assumed to represent how different catchments "transform" rainfall into runoff. From the runoff coefficients and flow duration curves we derive 12 signature indices describing various aspects of catchment response behaviour to characterise each catchment. Hydrological similarity of catchments is defined by high similarities of their indices. We identify, analyse and describe hydrologically similar catchments by cluster analysis using Self-Organizing Maps (SOM). As a result of the cluster analysis we get five clusters of similarly behaving catchments where each cluster represents one differentiated class of catchments. As catchment response behaviour is supposed to be dependent on its physiographic and climatic characteristics, we compare groups of catchments clustered by response behaviour with clusters of catchments based on catchment properties. Results show an overlap of 67% between these two pools of clustered catchments which can be improved using the topologic correctness of SOMs.

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