A framework to assess the realism of model structures using hydrological signatures

نویسندگان

  • T. Euser
  • H. C. Winsemius
چکیده

The use of flexible hydrological model structures for hypothesis testing requires an objective and diagnostic method to identify whether a rainfall-runoff model structure is suitable for a certain catchment. To determine if a model structure is realistic, i.e. if it captures the relevant runoff processes, both performance and consistency are important. We define performance as the ability of a model structure to mimic a specific part of the hydrological behaviour in a specific catchment. This can be assessed based on evaluation criteria, such as the goodness of fit of specific hydrological signatures obtained from hydrological data. Consistency is defined as the ability of a model structure to adequately reproduce several hydrological signatures simultaneously while using the same set of parameter values. In this paper we describe and demonstrate a new evaluation Framework for Assessing the Realism of Model structures (FARM). The evaluation framework tests for both performance and consistency using a principal component analysis on a range of evaluation criteria, all emphasizing different hydrological behaviour. The utility of this evaluation framework is demonstrated in a case study of two small headwater catchments (Maimai, New Zealand, and Wollefsbach, Luxembourg). Eight different hydrological signatures and eleven model structures have been used for this study. The results suggest that some model structures may reveal the same degree of performance for selected evaluation criteria while showing differences in consistency. The results also show that some model structures have a higher performance and consistency than others. The principal component analysis in combination with several hydrological signatures is shown to be useful to visualise the performance and consistency of a model structure for the study catchments. With this framework performance and consistency are evaluated to identify which model structure suits a catchment better compared to other model structures. Until now the framework has only been based on a qualitative analysis and not yet on a quantitative analysis.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Developing the Conceptual and Methodological Framework for Discursive-institutional Analysis of Coastal Exclusive Space Production: with Special Reference to Critical Realism Perspective

Because of the limited capacity of coastal lands and conflicting interests among stakeholders for coastal resources, there are intensifying pressures to retain and provide more public access to the coast. Coastal gated communities have been developed increasingly in the middle shoreline of Caspian Sea in North of Iran. They are kind of exclusive space production as they restrict public access t...

متن کامل

Predicting the ungauged basin: model validation and realism assessment

The hydrological decade on Predictions in Ungauged Basins (PUB) led to many new insights in model development, calibration strategies, data acquisition and uncertainty analysis. Due to a limited amount of published studies on genuinely ungauged basins, model validation and realism assessment of model outcome has not been discussed to a great extent. With this paper we aim to contribute to the d...

متن کامل

Integrated Assessment of Ferizi Watershed Based on Water Accounting Framework Using SWAT Model

Integrated assessment of the watershed is critical in arid and semi-arid areas due to the severe water stress in these regions. Data and information are an essential part of decision making and water governance to obtain integrated water resources management at the watershed scale. Water accounting is a helpful tool to organize information and present them as the standard indicators to achieve ...

متن کامل

Estimating the Available Water in the Watershed using System Dynamics Hydrological Model (Case Study: Ilam Watershed)

Hydrological models provide water managers with the available amount of water in the watershed. In this paper, we firstly developed a system dynamics model to calculate the available amount of water in the watershed. Then, we defined two scenarios one of which is the development scenario describing how land use changes can affect water availability in the watershed. Next, we divided the watersh...

متن کامل

Using SWAT and SWAT-CUP for hydrological simulation and uncertainty analysis in arid and semi-arid watersheds (Case study: Zoshk Watershed, Shandiz, Iran)

The aims of this project was to assess the capability of SWAT model and SWAT-CUP software in hydrological simulation and to evaluate the uncertainty of SWAT model in estimating runoff in arid and semi-arid watersheds. Model calibration and uncertainty analysis were performed using the Sequential Uncertainty Fitting (SUFI2) algorithm. In the stage of calibration and validation of water flow, per...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:

دوره   شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2013