Development and application of a physically based landscape water balance in the SWAT model

Watershed scale hydrological and biogeochemical models rely on the correct spatial-temporal prediction of processes governing water and contaminant movement. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, one of the most commonly used watershed scale models, uses the popular curve number (CN) meth...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: White, E.D., Easton, Z.M., Fuka, D.R., Collick, A.S., Adgo, E., McCartney, Matthew P., Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele, Selassie, Yihenew G., Steenhuis, Tammo S.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Wiley 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40475
_version_ 1855535791611052032
author White, E.D.
Easton, Z.M.
Fuka, D.R.
Collick, A.S.
Adgo, E.
McCartney, Matthew P.
Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele
Selassie, Yihenew G.
Steenhuis, Tammo S.
author_browse Adgo, E.
Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele
Collick, A.S.
Easton, Z.M.
Fuka, D.R.
McCartney, Matthew P.
Selassie, Yihenew G.
Steenhuis, Tammo S.
White, E.D.
author_facet White, E.D.
Easton, Z.M.
Fuka, D.R.
Collick, A.S.
Adgo, E.
McCartney, Matthew P.
Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele
Selassie, Yihenew G.
Steenhuis, Tammo S.
author_sort White, E.D.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Watershed scale hydrological and biogeochemical models rely on the correct spatial-temporal prediction of processes governing water and contaminant movement. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, one of the most commonly used watershed scale models, uses the popular curve number (CN) method to determine the respective amounts of infiltration and surface runoff. Although appropriate for flood forecasting in temperate climates, the CN method has been shown to be less than ideal in many situations (e.g. monsoonal climates and areas dominated by variable source area hydrology). The CN model is based on the assumption that there is a unique relationship between the average moisture content and the CN for all hydrologic response units (HRUs), and that the moisture content distribution is similar for each runoff event, which is not the case in many regions. Presented here is a physically based water balance that was coded in the SWAT model to replace the CN method of runoff generation. To compare this new water balance SWAT (SWAT-WB) to the original CN-based SWAT SWAT-CN), two watersheds were initialized; one in the headwaters of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia and one in the Catskill Mountains of New York. In the Ethiopian watershed, streamflow predictions were better using SWAT-WB than SWAT-CN [Nash-Sutcliffe efficiencies (NSE) of 0?79 and 0?67, respectively]. In the temperate Catskills, SWAT-WB and SWAT-CN predictions were approximately equivalent (NSE >0?70). The spatial distribution of runoff-generating areas differed greatly between the two models, with SWAT-WB reflecting the topographical controls imposed on the model. Results show that a water balance provides results equal to or better than the CN, but with a more physically based approach.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace40475
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2011
publishDateRange 2011
publishDateSort 2011
publisher Wiley
publisherStr Wiley
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace404752025-06-17T08:24:05Z Development and application of a physically based landscape water balance in the SWAT model White, E.D. Easton, Z.M. Fuka, D.R. Collick, A.S. Adgo, E. McCartney, Matthew P. Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele Selassie, Yihenew G. Steenhuis, Tammo S. simulation models hydrology water balance water table runoff stream flow watersheds river basins Watershed scale hydrological and biogeochemical models rely on the correct spatial-temporal prediction of processes governing water and contaminant movement. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, one of the most commonly used watershed scale models, uses the popular curve number (CN) method to determine the respective amounts of infiltration and surface runoff. Although appropriate for flood forecasting in temperate climates, the CN method has been shown to be less than ideal in many situations (e.g. monsoonal climates and areas dominated by variable source area hydrology). The CN model is based on the assumption that there is a unique relationship between the average moisture content and the CN for all hydrologic response units (HRUs), and that the moisture content distribution is similar for each runoff event, which is not the case in many regions. Presented here is a physically based water balance that was coded in the SWAT model to replace the CN method of runoff generation. To compare this new water balance SWAT (SWAT-WB) to the original CN-based SWAT SWAT-CN), two watersheds were initialized; one in the headwaters of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia and one in the Catskill Mountains of New York. In the Ethiopian watershed, streamflow predictions were better using SWAT-WB than SWAT-CN [Nash-Sutcliffe efficiencies (NSE) of 0?79 and 0?67, respectively]. In the temperate Catskills, SWAT-WB and SWAT-CN predictions were approximately equivalent (NSE >0?70). The spatial distribution of runoff-generating areas differed greatly between the two models, with SWAT-WB reflecting the topographical controls imposed on the model. Results show that a water balance provides results equal to or better than the CN, but with a more physically based approach. 2011-03-15 2014-06-13T14:47:45Z 2014-06-13T14:47:45Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40475 en Limited Access Wiley White, E. D.; Easton, Z. M.; Fuka, D. R.; Collick, A. S.; Adgo, E.; McCartney, Matthew; Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Selassie, Y. G.; Steenhuis, T. S. 2011. Development and application of a physically based landscape water balance in the SWAT model. Hydrological Processes, 25(6):915-925. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.7876
spellingShingle simulation models
hydrology
water balance
water table
runoff
stream flow
watersheds
river basins
White, E.D.
Easton, Z.M.
Fuka, D.R.
Collick, A.S.
Adgo, E.
McCartney, Matthew P.
Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele
Selassie, Yihenew G.
Steenhuis, Tammo S.
Development and application of a physically based landscape water balance in the SWAT model
title Development and application of a physically based landscape water balance in the SWAT model
title_full Development and application of a physically based landscape water balance in the SWAT model
title_fullStr Development and application of a physically based landscape water balance in the SWAT model
title_full_unstemmed Development and application of a physically based landscape water balance in the SWAT model
title_short Development and application of a physically based landscape water balance in the SWAT model
title_sort development and application of a physically based landscape water balance in the swat model
topic simulation models
hydrology
water balance
water table
runoff
stream flow
watersheds
river basins
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40475
work_keys_str_mv AT whiteed developmentandapplicationofaphysicallybasedlandscapewaterbalanceintheswatmodel
AT eastonzm developmentandapplicationofaphysicallybasedlandscapewaterbalanceintheswatmodel
AT fukadr developmentandapplicationofaphysicallybasedlandscapewaterbalanceintheswatmodel
AT collickas developmentandapplicationofaphysicallybasedlandscapewaterbalanceintheswatmodel
AT adgoe developmentandapplicationofaphysicallybasedlandscapewaterbalanceintheswatmodel
AT mccartneymatthewp developmentandapplicationofaphysicallybasedlandscapewaterbalanceintheswatmodel
AT awulachewseleshibekele developmentandapplicationofaphysicallybasedlandscapewaterbalanceintheswatmodel
AT selassieyihenewg developmentandapplicationofaphysicallybasedlandscapewaterbalanceintheswatmodel
AT steenhuistammos developmentandapplicationofaphysicallybasedlandscapewaterbalanceintheswatmodel