Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydrology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2017) | Viewed by 90046

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Special Issue Editors

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Penn State University 231G Sackett Building University Park, PA 16802 USA
Interests: hillslope hydrology; stochastic hydrology; isotope hydrology; computational modeling; critical zone science
Department of Geological Sciences University of Delaware 221 Academy St. Room 477 Newark, DE 19716 USA
Interests: catchment hydrology; groundwater-surface water interaction; groundwater modeling; critical zone; flow in porous media

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Current hillslope and catchment hydrologic research requires frequent and intensive interactions between field observations and numerical models. Hillslope hydrologists and ecohydrologists focus on the micro- to macroscale processes, while catchment river basin hydrologists pursue dominant processes affecting the river network and larger macro-scale soil and hydrogeologic distributions. In order to bridge these scales, researchers have pursued a number of physics-based models that capture the effects of spatial heterogeneity in hillslope and watershed properties (e.g., land cover, vegetation, topography, soil, geology). From a modeling aspect, we want to find optimal principles to represent the important heterogeneity and process complexity across multiple scales. From the experimental point of view, recent field campaigns have built a series of experimental catchment observing systems (e.g., Critical Zone Observatories) to provide fundamental information across multiple scales. Through these field experiments and model developments, the broad research community hopes to generalize fundamental theories, and guide model applications. The reconciliation of field data and mathematical models should improve our understanding and capacity to bridge fundamental processes from hillslope to catchments and river basin scales, and to allow watershed forecasting and uncertainty analysis to become a basic tool for decision-making.

This Special Issue aims to assemble contributions on hillslope and watershed scale model developments linked to applications and field experiments. We seek contributions that use model simulation and field observations to understand the heterogeneity and process complexity and uncertainty across scales, and the prospect for prediction in watershed ecohydrologic systems. We welcome generalized findings where experiment and computation leads to systematic learning and the science-based models necessary to manage our future water supply and ecohydrologic services.

Prof. Christopher J. Duffy
Dr. Xuan Yu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • scale
  • hillslope
  • watershed
  • modeling
  • computation
  • ecohydrology
  • hydrologic observatory

Published Papers (14 papers)

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Editorial

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6 pages, 188 KiB  
Editorial
Watershed Hydrology: Scientific Advances and Environmental Assessments
by Xuan Yu and Christopher J. Duffy
Water 2018, 10(3), 288; https://doi.org/10.3390/w10030288 - 08 Mar 2018
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5127
Abstract
The watershed is a fundamental concept in hydrology and is the basis for understanding hydrologic processes and for the planning and management of water resources. Storage and movement of water at a watershed scale is complicated due to the coupled processes which act [...] Read more.
The watershed is a fundamental concept in hydrology and is the basis for understanding hydrologic processes and for the planning and management of water resources. Storage and movement of water at a watershed scale is complicated due to the coupled processes which act over multiple spatial and temporal scales. In addition, climate change and human activities increase the complexity of these processes driving hydrologic change. Scientific advances in the field of watershed hydrology is now making use of the latest methods and technologies to achieve responsible management of water resources to meet the needs of rising populations and the protection of important ecosystems. The selected papers cover a wide range of issues that are relevant to watershed hydrology and have motivated model development, application, parameterization, uncertainty estimation, environment assessment, and management. Continued technological advances grounded in modern environmental science are necessary to meet these challenges. This will require a greater emphasis on disciplinary collaboration and integrated approaches to problem solving founded on science-driven innovations in technology, socio-economics, and public policy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)

Research

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5024 KiB  
Article
Debris Flow Susceptibility Assessment in the Wudongde Dam Area, China Based on Rock Engineering System and Fuzzy C-Means Algorithm
by Yanyan Li, Honggang Wang, Jianping Chen and Yanjun Shang
Water 2017, 9(9), 669; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9090669 - 04 Sep 2017
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4279
Abstract
Debris flows in the Wudongde dam area, China could pose a huge threat to the running of the power station. Therefore, it is of great significance to carry out a susceptibility analysis for this area. This paper presents an application of the rock [...] Read more.
Debris flows in the Wudongde dam area, China could pose a huge threat to the running of the power station. Therefore, it is of great significance to carry out a susceptibility analysis for this area. This paper presents an application of the rock engineering system and fuzzy C-means algorithm (RES_FCM) for debris flow susceptibility assessment. The watershed of the Jinsha River close to the Wudongde dam site in southwest China was taken as the study area, where a total of 22 channelized debris flow gullies were mapped by field investigations. Eight environmental parameters were selected for debris flow susceptibility assessment, namely, lithology, watershed area, slope angle, stream density, length of the main stream, curvature of the main stream, distance from fault and vegetation cover ratio. The interactions among these parameters and their weightings were determined using the RES method. A debris flow susceptibility map was produced by dividing the gullies into three categories of debris flow susceptibility based on the susceptibility index (SI) using the FCM algorithm. The results show that the susceptibility levels for nine of the debris flow gullies are high, nine are moderate and four are low, respectively. The RES based K-means algorithm (RES_KM) was used for comparison. The results suggest that the RES_FCM method and the RES_KM method provide very close evaluation results for most of the debris flow gullies, which also agree well with field investigations. The prediction accuracy of the new method is 90.9%, larger than that obtained by the RES_KM method (86.4%). Therefore, the RES_FCM method performs better than the RES_KM method for assessing the susceptibility of debris flows. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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9534 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Effects of Low Impact Development Practices on Urban Flooding under Different Rainfall Intensities
by Zhihua Zhu and Xiaohong Chen
Water 2017, 9(7), 548; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9070548 - 24 Jul 2017
Cited by 72 | Viewed by 7254
Abstract
Low impact development (LID) is an important control measure against extreme rainfall events and is widely applied to relieve urban flood disasters. To investigate the effects of LID practices on flooding control under different rainfall scenarios, this paper constructs a rainfall–runoff model based [...] Read more.
Low impact development (LID) is an important control measure against extreme rainfall events and is widely applied to relieve urban flood disasters. To investigate the effects of LID practices on flooding control under different rainfall scenarios, this paper constructs a rainfall–runoff model based on the storm water management model (SWMM) for a typical residential area in Guangzhou, China. The model is calibrated by using observed rainfall and runoff data. A total of 27 rainfall scenarios are constructed to simulate the change characteristics before and after the LID practices. Also, the projection pursuit method based on a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to assess the flooding characteristics. The results show that the constructed rainfall–runoff model can closely reflect the relationship between rainfall and runoff, with all Nash–Sutcliffe coefficients of efficiency (NSE) exceeding 0.7. It was found from the simulation and assessment of the constructed rainfall scenarios that the changes in rainfall characteristics have a considerable impact on the constructed drainage system and that LID practices can properly control the floods. However, with an increase in rainfall peak coefficient, intensity or duration, the control effects of LID tend to reduce. Particularly in the scenario of relatively high rainfall intensity, the impact of rainfall duration and the rainfall peak coefficient on the LID practices is minor. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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4263 KiB  
Article
Flooding in Delta Areas under Changing Climate: Response of Design Flood Level to Non-Stationarity in Both Inflow Floods and High Tides in South China
by Yihan Tang, Qizhong Guo, Chengjia Su and Xiaohong Chen
Water 2017, 9(7), 471; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9070471 - 11 Jul 2017
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5181
Abstract
Climate change has led to non-stationarity in recorded floods all over the world. Although previous studies have widely discussed the design error caused by non-stationarity, most of them explored basins with closed catchment areas. The response of flood level to nonstationary inflow floods [...] Read more.
Climate change has led to non-stationarity in recorded floods all over the world. Although previous studies have widely discussed the design error caused by non-stationarity, most of them explored basins with closed catchment areas. The response of flood level to nonstationary inflow floods and high tidal levels in deltas with a dense river network has hardly been mentioned. Delta areas are extremely vulnerable to floods. To establish reliable standards for flood protection in delta areas, it is crucial to investigate the response of flood level to nonstationary inflow floods and high tidal levels. Pearl River Delta (PRD), the largest delta in South China, was selected as the study area. A theoretical framework was developed to quantify the response of flood level to nonstationary inflow floods and the tidal level. When the non-stationarity was ignored, error up to 18% was found in 100-year design inflow floods and up to 14% in 100-year design tidal level. Meanwhile, flood level in areas that were ≤22 km away from the outlets mainly responded to the nonstationary tidal level, and that ≥45 km to the nonstationary inflow floods. This study will support research on the non-stationarity of floods in delta areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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20210 KiB  
Article
Variability of Spatially Grid-Distributed Precipitation over the Huaihe River Basin in China
by Zhi-Lei Yu, Deng-Hua Yan, Guang-Heng Ni, Pierre Do, Deng-Ming Yan, Si-Yu Cai, Tian-Ling Qin, Bai-Sha Weng and Mei-Jian Yang
Water 2017, 9(7), 489; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9070489 - 05 Jul 2017
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5751
Abstract
This study investigates spatial characteristics of annual and decadal precipitation in the Huaihe River basin. Daily precipitation data, obtained from meteorological gauges, are analyzed for a 51-year period, from 1961 to 2011. Precipitation is analyzed in grids (5 km2) with respect [...] Read more.
This study investigates spatial characteristics of annual and decadal precipitation in the Huaihe River basin. Daily precipitation data, obtained from meteorological gauges, are analyzed for a 51-year period, from 1961 to 2011. Precipitation is analyzed in grids (5 km2) with respect to temporal variability. The spatial distribution and intensity of annual rainfall (mm/10 year), determined by the linear regression method, reveals a slight increase of 3 mm/10 year over the basin. However, the trend did not present a significant change at 95% significance level in the most of basin. Precipitation is mostly increasing for each ten-year periods during the total 51 years. The annual precipitation randomicity was calculated from the non-uniform coefficient Cv (coefficient of variation) test and showed a significant non-uniform spatial distribution, indicating that randomicity of annual rainfall was the moderate variability. The Pettitt test determined that the abrupt change points occurred mainly in 1965, 1975 and 2002. Wavelet analysis showed that cyclic variations appeared almost every 5 to 10 years, accounting for 36% of the basin area. Meanwhile, these cycles tended to be delimited by the abrupt change points. This study aims to provide insights for water resources management, mitigation of climate change effects and water supply in the Huaihe River basin and surrounding watersheds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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1685 KiB  
Article
Estimation of Active Stream Network Length in a Hilly Headwater Catchment Using Recession Flow Analysis
by Wei Li, Ke Zhang, Yuqiao Long and Li Feng
Water 2017, 9(5), 348; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9050348 - 16 May 2017
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4356
Abstract
Varying active stream network lengths (ASNL) is a common phenomenon, especially in hilly headwater catchment. However, direct observations of ASNL are difficult to perform in mountainous catchments. Regarding the correlation between active stream networks and stream recession flow characteristics, we developed a new [...] Read more.
Varying active stream network lengths (ASNL) is a common phenomenon, especially in hilly headwater catchment. However, direct observations of ASNL are difficult to perform in mountainous catchments. Regarding the correlation between active stream networks and stream recession flow characteristics, we developed a new method to estimate the ASNL, under different wetness conditions, of a catchment by using streamflow recession analysis as defined by Brutsaert and Nieber in 1977. In our study basin, the Sagehen Creek catchment, we found that aquifer depth is related to a dimensionless parameter defined by Brutsaert in 1994 to represent the characteristic slope magnitude for a catchment. The results show that the estimated ASNL ranges between 9.8 and 43.9 km which is consistent with direct observations of dynamic stream length, ranging from 12.4 to 32.5 km in this catchment. We also found that the variation of catchment parameters between different recession events determines the upper boundary characteristic of recession flow plot on a log–log scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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13172 KiB  
Article
Hydrological Modeling of the Upper Indus Basin: A Case Study from a High-Altitude Glacierized Catchment Hunza
by Khan Garee, Xi Chen, Anming Bao, Yu Wang and Fanhao Meng
Water 2017, 9(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9010017 - 02 Jan 2017
Cited by 62 | Viewed by 9114
Abstract
The Soil andWater Assessment Tool (SWAT) model combined with a temperature index and elevation band algorithm was applied to the Hunza watershed, where snow and glacier-melt are the major contributor to river flow. This study’s uniqueness is its use of a snow melt [...] Read more.
The Soil andWater Assessment Tool (SWAT) model combined with a temperature index and elevation band algorithm was applied to the Hunza watershed, where snow and glacier-melt are the major contributor to river flow. This study’s uniqueness is its use of a snow melt algorithm (temperature index with elevation bands) combined with the SWAT, applied to evaluate the performance of the SWAT model in the highly snow and glacier covered watershed of the Upper Indus Basin in response to climate change on future streamflow volume at the outlet of the Hunza watershed, and its contribution to the Indus River System in both space and time, despite its limitation; it is not designed to cover the watershed of heterogeneous mountains. The model was calibrated for the years 1998–2004 and validated for the years 2008–2010. The model performance is evaluated using the four recommended statistical coefficients with uncertainty analysis (p-factor and r-factor). Simulations generated good calibration and validation results for the daily flow gauge. The model efficiency was evaluated, and a strong relationship was observed between the simulated and observed flows. The model results give a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.82 and a Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency index (NS) of 0.80 for the daily flow with values of p-factor (79%) and r-factor (76%). The SWAT model was also used to evaluate climate change impact on hydrological regimes, the target watershed with three GCMs (General Circulation Model) of the IPCC fifth report for 2030–2059 and 2070–2099, using 1980–2010 as the control period. Overall, temperature (1.39 C to 6.58 C) and precipitation (31%) indicated increased variability at the end of the century with increasing river flow (5%–10%); in particular, the analysis showed smaller absolute changes in the hydrology of the study area towards the end of the century. The results revealed that the calibrated model was more sensitive towards temperature and precipitation, snow-melt parameters and Curve Number (CN2). The SWAT results also provided reliable information for the daily runoff from the sub-basin watersheds responding to changing climatic conditions. SWAT can thus be used to devise effective strategies for future sustainable water management in the region, while combating vulnerabilities against floods and water storage in downstream water reservoirs such as the Diamer-Basha dam. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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4492 KiB  
Article
Characterizing Changes in Streamflow and Sediment Supply in the Sacramento River Basin, California, Using Hydrological Simulation Program—FORTRAN (HSPF)
by Michelle Stern, Lorraine Flint, Justin Minear, Alan Flint and Scott Wright
Water 2016, 8(10), 432; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8100432 - 30 Sep 2016
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 7384
Abstract
A daily watershed model of the Sacramento River Basin of northern California was developed to simulate streamflow and suspended sediment transport to the San Francisco Bay-Delta. To compensate for sparse data, a unique combination of model inputs was developed, including meteorological variables, potential [...] Read more.
A daily watershed model of the Sacramento River Basin of northern California was developed to simulate streamflow and suspended sediment transport to the San Francisco Bay-Delta. To compensate for sparse data, a unique combination of model inputs was developed, including meteorological variables, potential evapotranspiration, and parameters defining hydraulic geometry. A slight decreasing trend of sediment loads and concentrations was statistically significant in the lowest 50% of flows, supporting the observed historical sediment decline. Historical changes in climate, including seasonality and decline of snowpack, contribute to changes in streamflow, and are a significant component describing the mechanisms responsible for the decline in sediment. Several wet and dry hypothetical climate change scenarios with temperature changes of 1.5 °C and 4.5 °C were applied to the base historical conditions to assess the model sensitivity of streamflow and sediment to changes in climate. Of the scenarios evaluated, sediment discharge for the Sacramento River Basin increased the most with increased storm magnitude and frequency and decreased the most with increases in air temperature, regardless of changes in precipitation. The model will be used to develop projections of potential hydrologic and sediment trends to the Bay-Delta in response to potential future climate scenarios, which will help assess the hydrological and ecological health of the Bay-Delta into the next century. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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3372 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the Impact of Subsurface Agricultural Drainage on Soil Water Storage and Flows of a Small Watershed
by Mushombe Muma, Alain N. Rousseau and Silvio J. Gumiere
Water 2016, 8(8), 326; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8080326 - 03 Aug 2016
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6211
Abstract
3D hydrological modeling was performed, using CATHY (acronym for CATchment HYdrology model), with the basic objective of checking whether the model could reproduce the effects of subsurface agricultural drainage on stream flows and soil water storage. The model was also used to further [...] Read more.
3D hydrological modeling was performed, using CATHY (acronym for CATchment HYdrology model), with the basic objective of checking whether the model could reproduce the effects of subsurface agricultural drainage on stream flows and soil water storage. The model was also used to further our understanding of the impact of soil hydrodynamic properties on watershed hydrology. Flows simulated by CATHY were consistent with traditional subsurface drainage approaches and, for wet years, flows at the outlet of the study watershed corroborated well with observed data. Temporal storage variation analyses illustrated that flows depended not only on the amount of rainfall, but also on its distribution throughout the year. Subsurface agricultural drainage increased base and total flows, and decreased peak flows. Hydrograph separation using simulated results indicated that exfiltration was the most dominant process; peak flows were largely characterized by overland flow; and subsurface drain flow variations were low. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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2305 KiB  
Article
Effects of Model Spatial Resolution on Ecohydrologic Predictions and Their Sensitivity to Inter-Annual Climate Variability
by Kyongho Son, Christina Tague and Carolyn Hunsaker
Water 2016, 8(8), 321; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8080321 - 29 Jul 2016
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5168
Abstract
The effect of fine-scale topographic variability on model estimates of ecohydrologic responses to climate variability in California’s Sierra Nevada watersheds has not been adequately quantified and may be important for supporting reliable climate-impact assessments. This study tested the effect of digital elevation model [...] Read more.
The effect of fine-scale topographic variability on model estimates of ecohydrologic responses to climate variability in California’s Sierra Nevada watersheds has not been adequately quantified and may be important for supporting reliable climate-impact assessments. This study tested the effect of digital elevation model (DEM) resolution on model accuracy and estimates of the sensitivity of ecohydrologic responses to inter-annual climate variability. The Regional Hydro-Ecologic Simulation System (RHESSys) was applied to eight headwater, high-elevation watersheds located in the Kings River drainage basin. Each watershed was calibrated with measured snow depth (or snow water equivalent) and daily streamflow. Modeled streamflow estimates were sensitive to DEM resolution, even with resolution-specific calibration of soil drainage parameters. For model resolutions coarser than 10 m, the accuracy of streamflow estimates largely decreased. Reduced model accuracy was related to the reduction in spatial variance of a topographic wetness index with coarser DEM resolutions. This study also found that among the long-term average ecohydrologic estimates, summer flow estimates were the most sensitive to DEM resolution, and coarser resolution models overestimated the climatic sensitivity for evapotranspiration and net primary productivity. Therefore, accounting for fine-scale topographic variability in ecohydrologic modeling may be necessary for reliably assessing climate change effects on lower-order Sierra Nevada watersheds (≤2.3 km2). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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3114 KiB  
Article
Hydrologic Alteration Associated with Dam Construction in a Medium-Sized Coastal Watershed of Southeast China
by Zhenyu Zhang, Yaling Huang and Jinliang Huang
Water 2016, 8(8), 317; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8080317 - 26 Jul 2016
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 7411
Abstract
Sustainable water resource management requires dams operations that provide environmental flow to support the downstream riverine ecosystem. However, relatively little is known about the hydrologic impact of small and medium dams in the smaller basin in China. Flow duration curve, indicators of hydrologic [...] Read more.
Sustainable water resource management requires dams operations that provide environmental flow to support the downstream riverine ecosystem. However, relatively little is known about the hydrologic impact of small and medium dams in the smaller basin in China. Flow duration curve, indicators of hydrologic alteration andrange of variability approach were coupled in this study to evaluate the pre- and post-impact hydrologic regimes associated with dam construction using 44 years (1967–2010) of hydrologic data in the Jiulong River Watershed (JRW), a medium-sized coastal watershed of Southeast China, which suffered from intensive cascade damming. Results showed that the daily streamflow decreased in higher flow while daily streamflow increased in lower flow in both two reaches of the JRW. The dams in the North River tended to store more water while the dams in the West River tended to release more water. The mean daily streamflow increased during July to January while decreased during February to May after dam construction in both two reaches of the JRW. After dam construction, the monthly streamflow changed more significantly and higher variability of monthly streamflow exhibited in the West River than in the North River. The homeogenizing variability of monthly streamflow was observed in both two reaches of the JRW. The earlier occurrence time of extreme low streamflow event and later occurrence time of extreme high streamflow event exhibited after dams construction. The extreme low and high streamfow both decreased in the North River while both increased in the West River of the JRW. All of the indicators especially for the low pulse count (101.8%) and the low pulse duration (−62.1%) changed significantly in the North River. The high pulse count decreased by 37.1% in the West River and the count of low pulse increased abnormally in the North River. The high pulse duration in the post-impact period increased in the two reaches of JRW. The rise rate decreased by 26.9% and 61.0%,and number of reversals increased by 40.7% and 46.4% in the North River and West River, respectively. Suitable ranges of streamflow regime in terms of magnitude, rate, and frequency were further identified for environmental flow management in the North River and West River. This research advances our understanding of hydrologic impact of small and medium dams in the medium-sized basin in China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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5195 KiB  
Article
Using High-Resolution Data to Test Parameter Sensitivity of the Distributed Hydrological Model HydroGeoSphere
by Thomas Cornelissen, Bernd Diekkrüger and Heye R. Bogena
Water 2016, 8(5), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8050202 - 16 May 2016
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 7097
Abstract
Parameterization of physically based and distributed hydrological models for mesoscale catchments remains challenging because the commonly available data base is insufficient for calibration. In this paper, we parameterize a mesoscale catchment for the distributed model HydroGeoSphere by transferring evapotranspiration parameters calibrated at a [...] Read more.
Parameterization of physically based and distributed hydrological models for mesoscale catchments remains challenging because the commonly available data base is insufficient for calibration. In this paper, we parameterize a mesoscale catchment for the distributed model HydroGeoSphere by transferring evapotranspiration parameters calibrated at a highly-equipped headwater catchment in addition to literature data. Based on this parameterization, the sensitivity of the mesoscale catchment to spatial variability in land use, potential evapotranspiration and precipitation and of the headwater catchment to mesoscale soil and land use data was conducted. Simulations of the mesoscale catchment with transferred parameters reproduced daily discharge dynamics and monthly evapotranspiration of grassland, deciduous and coniferous vegetation in a satisfactory manner. Precipitation was the most sensitive input data with respect to total runoff and peak flow rates, while simulated evapotranspiration components and patterns were most sensitive to spatially distributed land use parameterization. At the headwater catchment, coarse soil data resulted in a change in runoff generating processes based on the interplay between higher wetness prior to a rainfall event, enhanced groundwater level rise and accordingly, lower transpiration rates. Our results indicate that the direct transfer of parameters is a promising method to benefit highly equipped simulations of the headwater catchments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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Article
Multi-Site Validation of the SWAT Model on the Bani Catchment: Model Performance and Predictive Uncertainty
by Jamilatou Chaibou Begou, Seifeddine Jomaa, Sihem Benabdallah, Pibgnina Bazie, Abel Afouda and Michael Rode
Water 2016, 8(5), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8050178 - 30 Apr 2016
Cited by 67 | Viewed by 8031
Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess the performance and predictive uncertainty of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model on the Bani River Basin, at catchment and subcatchment levels. The SWAT model was calibrated using the Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to assess the performance and predictive uncertainty of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model on the Bani River Basin, at catchment and subcatchment levels. The SWAT model was calibrated using the Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) approach. Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) and biomass were considered in the verification of model outputs accuracy. Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) was used for identifying important model parameters. Results indicated a good performance of the global model at daily as well as monthly time steps with adequate predictive uncertainty. PET was found to be overestimated but biomass was better predicted in agricultural land and forest. Surface runoff represents the dominant process on streamflow generation in that region. Individual calibration at subcatchment scale yielded better performance than when the global parameter sets were applied. These results are very useful and provide a support to further studies on regionalization to make prediction in ungauged basins. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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1160 KiB  
Article
An Eco-Hydrological Model-Based Assessment of the Impacts of Soil and Water Conservation Management in the Jinghe River Basin, China
by Hui Peng, Yangwen Jia, Christina Tague and Peter Slaughter
Water 2015, 7(11), 6301-6320; https://doi.org/10.3390/w7116301 - 11 Nov 2015
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 6524
Abstract
Many soil and water conservation (SWC) measures have been applied in the Jinghe River Basin to decrease soil erosion and restore degraded vegetation cover. Analysis of historical streamflow records suggests that SWC measures may have led to declines in streamflow, although climate and [...] Read more.
Many soil and water conservation (SWC) measures have been applied in the Jinghe River Basin to decrease soil erosion and restore degraded vegetation cover. Analysis of historical streamflow records suggests that SWC measures may have led to declines in streamflow, although climate and human water use may have contributed to observed changes. This paper presents an application of a watershed-scale, physically-based eco-hydrological model—the Regional Hydro-Ecological Simulation System (RHESSys)—in the Jinghe River Basin to study the impacts of SWC measures on streamflow. Several extensions to the watershed-scale RHESSys model were made in this paper to support the model application at larger scales (>10,000 km2) of the Loess Plateau. The extensions include the implementation of in-stream routing, reservoir sub-models and representation of soil and water construction engineering (SWCE). Field observation data, literature values and remote sensing data were used to calibrate and verify the model parameters. Three scenarios were simulated and the results were compared to quantify both vegetation recovery and SWCE impacts on streamflow. Three scenarios respectively represent no SWC, vegetation recovery only and both vegetation recovery and SWCE. The model results demonstrate that the SWC decreased annual streamflow by 8% (0.1 billion m3), with the largest decrease occurring in the 2000s. Model estimates also suggest that SWCE has greater impacts than vegetation recovery. Our study provides a useful tool for SWC planning and management in this region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology)
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