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Parameter regionalization of a monthly water balance model for the conterminous United States

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
By: , , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-2861-2016

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Abstract

A parameter regionalization scheme to transfer parameter values from gaged to ungaged areas for a monthly water balance model (MWBM) was developed and tested for the conterminous United States (CONUS). The Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test, a global-sensitivity algorithm, was implemented on a MWBM to generate parameter sensitivities on a set of 109 951 hydrologic response units (HRUs) across the CONUS. The HRUs were grouped into 110 calibration regions based on similar parameter sensitivities. Subsequently, measured runoff from 1575 streamgages within the calibration regions were used to calibrate the MWBM parameters to produce parameter sets for each calibration region. Measured and simulated runoff at the 1575 streamgages showed good correspondence for the majority of the CONUS, with a median computed Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient of 0.76 over all streamgages. These methods maximize the use of available runoff information, resulting in a calibrated CONUS-wide application of the MWBM suitable for providing estimates of water availability at the HRU resolution for both gaged and ungaged areas of the CONUS.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Parameter regionalization of a monthly water balance model for the conterminous United States
Series title Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
DOI 10.5194/hess-20-2861-2016
Volume 20
Year Published 2016
Language English
Publisher European Geosciences Union
Contributing office(s) Colorado Water Science Center, Advanced Research Computing (ARC)
Description 16 p.
First page 2861
Last page 2876
Country United States
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