scholarly journals Integrated Impact of Digital Elevation Model and Land Cover Resolutions on Simulated Runoff by SWAT Model

Author(s):  
Mahmoud Saleh Al-Khafaji ◽  
Fouad Hussein Al-Sweiti

Abstract. Complemental interactive effects of the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and Land Cover (LC) resolutions on the estimated runoff by using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), which is of critical importance for water resource management, was investigated in this paper. Also, to specify the optimal DEM and LC resolutions for maximizing accuracy of the estimated runoff for Dokan, Adhaim, and Duhok watersheds located in Iraq. Twenty daily time step based SWAT models of each watershed were implemented using five DEMs in conjunction with five LCs. Assessment of models results shows that the watershed delineation significantly affected by DEM resolution, especially in flat regions. However, there is no clearly discernible trend of this effect on the determination of watershed boundary, stream network, number of sub-basins and total area. Furthermore, the number of Hydrologic Response Units (HRUs) and the maximum altitudes are directly related to the DEM whereas the minimum altitudes have an inverse relationship with the DEM. Also, the number of HRUs increases with the increase in LC resolution until it reaches a maximum value and then starts to gradually decrease. While there is no significant trend between the accuracy of the estimated runoff and the increase in the DEM and LC resolutions. The most accurate estimated runoffs of Dokan, Adhaim and Duhok Watersheds were obtained by using DEM 90 m and LC 1000 m, DEM 250 m and LC 1000 m, and DEM 30 m and LC 30 m with Nash and Sutcliffe Efficiency of 0.59, 0.68 and 0.69 respectively.

Author(s):  
Farinaz Gholami ◽  
Alireza Nemati ◽  
Yue Li ◽  
Yang Hong ◽  
Junlong Zhang

The Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of a watershed is one of the most important inputs in most hydrological analyses and plays a key role in the accurate prediction of various hydrological processes. Comprehensive knowledge of the impact of different DEM sources on the performance of a model is essential before utilizing the model. In this study, we evaluated the influence of TOPO1:25000, ASTER, and SRTM DEMs, as input, on the performance of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model for the prediction of surface runoff. We also investigated the effect of the resolution of the studied DEM sources on the accuracy of the SWAT model in the estimation of runoff. The second objective of this study was to identify the most influential and the least impactful input parameters on the performance of the SWAT model. We studied the Zarrineh River watershed in Iran as a case study to compare the effect of the aforementioned DEM types and DEM resolution on the output of the SWAT model. The outcomes of the study demonstrated that influential parameters on predicted runoff as well as a few watershed parameters, such as reach lengths, reach slopes, number of sub-basins, and the number of hydrologic response units (HRU), differs noticeably when the DEM source and resolution changes. It was also observed that simulated results over-predict the runoff during low precipitation periods and under-predict the runoff during high precipitation months, and the accuracy of the simulated results decreases by reducing the DEM resolution. The results showed that the SWAT model had the best performance when the TOPO1:25000 DEM was used as the input source. Low-resolution DEMs are available to a wider range of researchers. The outcomes of the current study can be employed to estimate the impact of low-resolution input data on the simulated result as well as substantially reduce the computation time by decreasing the input DEMresolution with only a minor reduction of accuracy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Nazari-Sharabian ◽  
Masoud Taheriyoun ◽  
Moses Karakouzian

Abstract This study investigates the impact of different digital elevation model (DEM) resolutions on the topological attributes and simulated runoff, as well as the sensitivity of runoff parameters in the Mahabad Dam watershed in Iran. The watershed and streamlines were delineated in ArcGIS, and the hydrologic analyses were performed using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The sensitivity analysis on runoff parameters was performed, using the Sequential Uncertainties FItting Ver. 2 algorithm, in the SWAT Calibration and Uncertainty Procedures (SWAT-CUP) program. The results indicated that the sensitivity of runoff parameters, watershed surface area, and elevations changed under different DEM resolutions. As the distribution of slopes changed using different DEMs, surface parameters were most affected. Furthermore, higher amounts of runoff were generated when DEMs with finer resolutions were implemented. In comparison with the observed value of 8 m3/s at the watershed outlet, the 12.5 m DEM showed more realistic results (6.77 m3/s). Comparatively, the 12.5 m DEM generated 0.74% and 2.73% more runoff compared with the 30 and 90 m DEMs, respectively. The findings of this study indicate that in order to reduce computation time, researchers may use DEMs with coarser resolutions at the expense of minor decreases in accuracy.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asirat Teshome ◽  
Yonas Tibebu ◽  
Endalkachew Addis

Abstract Background: In this study, geospatial technology was used to assess potential sites for hydroelectric potential in the Ribb and Gumara Rivers of the Guna-Tana landscape of the upper Abay basin in Ethiopia. The important parameters used in this study were the Digital Elevation Model, the stream network, the stream elevation; the stream slope, the height difference, and the stream flow were analysed. In addition, the results obtained from the geospatial model, satellite data and GIS tools were used to identify the hydroelectric potential in the landscape. Results: Twenty sites with hydroelectric potential were identified within the 3528.16 km2 of the Guna-Tana landscape. The maximum power in the Ribb River was 48,389.98 kW, while in the Gumara River it was 41,984.01 kW. Therefore, the development of strategies to improve the decision-making process for hydroelectric power planning and construction is of utmost importance to support renewable energy production with minimal negative environmental social impacts. Conclusion: Therefore, this study revealed that the hydroelectric potential of a river basin could be correctly assessed using a digital elevation model, stream network data, within a GIS framework.


Author(s):  
Abdata Galata

Modelling the hydrological characteristics of watershed is a method of understanding behavior and simulating the water balance components of watershed for planning and development of integrated water resources management. The soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) physically based hydrological modelling was used for modelling hydrologic characteristics of the Hangar watershed. The data used for this study were digital elevation model (DEM), land use land cover data, soil map, climatological and hydrological data. The model calibrated and validated using measured streamflow data of 13 years (1990-2002) and 9 years (2003-2011) respectively including warm-up period. The SWAT model performs well for both calibration (R2 = 0.87, NSE = 0.82 and PBIAS = +1.4) and validation (R2 = 0.89, NSE = 0.88 and PBIAS = +1.2). The sensitivity analysis, which was carried out using 18 SWAT parameters, identified the 13 most sensitive parameters controlling the output variable and with which goodness-of-fit was reached. The analysis results indicated that the watershed receives around, 9.6%, 59.9%, and 30.5% precipitation during dry, wet and short rainy seasons respectively. The received precipitation was lost by 9.6 %, 40.5%, and 41.3% in the form of evapotranspiration for each seasons correspondingly. The surface runoff contribution to the Watershed were 3.8%, and 79.2% during dry and wet seasons respectively, whereas, it contributes by 17.0% during short rainy seasons.


Author(s):  
D. Gesch ◽  
M. Oimoen ◽  
J. Danielson ◽  
D. Meyer

The ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model Version 3 (GDEM v3) was evaluated over the conterminous United States in a manner similar to the validation conducted for the original GDEM Version 1 (v1) in 2009 and GDEM Version 2 (v2) in 2011. The absolute vertical accuracy of GDEM v3 was calculated by comparison with more than 23,000 independent reference geodetic ground control points from the U.S. National Geodetic Survey. The root mean square error (RMSE) measured for GDEM v3 is 8.52 meters. This compares with the RMSE of 8.68 meters for GDEM v2. Another important descriptor of vertical accuracy is the mean error, or bias, which indicates if a DEM has an overall vertical offset from true ground level. The GDEM v3 mean error of −1.20 meters reflects an overall negative bias in GDEM v3. The absolute vertical accuracy assessment results, both mean error and RMSE, were segmented by land cover type to provide insight into how GDEM v3 performs in various land surface conditions. While the RMSE varies little across cover types (6.92 to 9.25 meters), the mean error (bias) does appear to be affected by land cover type, ranging from −2.99 to +4.16 meters across 14 land cover classes. These results indicate that in areas where built or natural aboveground features are present, GDEM v3 is measuring elevations above the ground level, a condition noted in assessments of previous GDEM versions (v1 and v2) and an expected condition given the type of stereo-optical image data collected by ASTER. GDEM v3 was also evaluated by differencing with the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) dataset. In many forested areas, GDEM v3 has elevations that are higher in the canopy than SRTM. The overall validation effort also included an evaluation of the GDEM v3 water mask. In general, the number of distinct water polygons in GDEM v3 is much lower than the number in a reference land cover dataset, but the total areas compare much more closely.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waranyu Buakhao ◽  
Anongrit Kangrang

A digital elevation model (DEM) is an important spatial input for automatic extraction of topographic parameters for the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT). The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of DEM resolution (from 5 to 90 m) on the delineation process of a SWAT model with two types of watershed characteristics (flat area and mountain area) and three sizes of watershed area (about 20,000, 200,000, and 1,500,000 hectares). The results showed that the total lengths of the streamline, main channel slope, watershed area, and area slope were significantly different when using the DEM datasets to delineate. Delineation using the SRTM DEM (90 m), ASTER DEM (30 m), and LDD DEM (5 m) for all watershed characteristics showed that the watershed sizes and shapes obtained were only slightly different, whereas the area slopes obtained were significantly different. The total lengths of the generated streams increased when the resolution of the DEM used was higher. The stream slopes obtained using the small area sizes were insignificant, whereas the slopes obtained using the large area sizes were significantly different. This suggests that water resource model users should use the ASTER DEM as opposed to a finer resolution DEM for model input to save time for the model calibration and validation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sachin Verma ◽  
Vidya Sagar Khanduri

Abstract Rising Incidents of landslide at district Mandi is issue of concern in Himachal Pradesh. Every year many people losses their life and property in these landslide event. This study is conducted with aim to preparation of landslide susceptibility zonation map of district Mandi using method of frequency ratio. Causative factor of landslide involved in preparation of Landslide susceptibility zonation map is Lithology, Slope, Drainage density, Aspect and Land use land cover. Slope, Drainage density, Aspect map are extracted through digital elevation model. Source of Digital elevation model used here is based on SRTM data whereas lithology map is based on data of geological survey of India. Land use land cover map is extracted by images of Landsat 8 satellite. Total of 52 existing landslides are used to model final map. LSZ map show 40.42% area is falling under medium susceptibility class, 34.5 % under low and 25.07% is under high susceptibility class which cover tehsils Mandi, Chachyot, Thunag and some part of Padhar, Aut and Bali Chowki. Further to validate these result areas under curve (AUC) method is use which give prediction rate of 76.06%.


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