新安江模型在资料匮乏的长江中下游山区中小流域洪水预报应用

水文资料匮乏流域的洪水预报(PUBs)是水文科学与工程中一个尚未解决的重大挑战.中国湿润山区中小流域大多是水文资料匮乏的流域,在此地区进行洪水预报的重要手段之一就是水文模型参数的估计.对基于参数物理意义的估算方法(以下简称物理估算法)及两种区域化方法进行了研究,将其用于新安江模型参数的估算及移植.皖南山区的29个中小流域被选作水文资料丰富的测量流域,鄂西山区的3个中小流域被视为水文资料匮乏的目标流域,目的是研究目标流域与测量流域空间位置较远但物理条件相似时,区域化等方法是否可以有效估计模型参数.结果表明,即使目标流域与测量流域空间距离较远,区域化及物理估算法也能一定程度上减少参数估计导致的模型效率损失,且在研究区的最优参数估计方案为单流域物理相似法结合回归法及物理估算法.为长江中下游资料匮乏的山区中小流域提出了可行的新安江模型参数估计方案,为该地区的洪水预报提供指导.     

Estimation of peak streamflows through channel geometry / Estimation de pics de débit fluviatiles à l'aide de la géométrie des cours d'eau

Abstract

Knowledge of peak discharge is essential for safe and economical planning and design of hydraulic structures. In India, as in most developing countries, the majority of river basins are either sparsely gauged or not gauged at all. The gauged records are also of short length (generally 15–30 years), therefore development of robust models is necessary for estimation of streamflows. Various studies reveal that flood estimation through channel geometry is an alternative method for ungauged catchments. It is appropriate for use where flow characteristics are poorly related to catchment area and other catchment characteristics. In the present study, stream geometry parameters for 42 river sites in central-south India were used; calibration equations were developed with data for 35 stations and tested on data for the remaining seven stations. The relationships developed between mean discharge and channel geometry parameters provide an alternative technique for estimation of mean annual channel discharge.     

Application of distributed hydrological models for predictions in ungauged basins: a method to quantify predictive uncertainty

Stream flow predictions in ungauged basins are one of the most challenging tasks in surface water hydrology because of nonavailability of data and system heterogeneity. This study proposes a method to quantify stream flow predictive uncertainty of distributed hydrologic models for ungauged basins. The method is based on the concepts of deriving probability distribution of model's sensitive parameters by using measured data from a gauged basin and transferring the distribution to hydrologically similar ungauged basins for stream flow predictions. A Monte Carlo simulation of the hydrologic model using sampled parameter sets with assumed probability distribution is conducted. The posterior probability distributions of the sensitive parameters are then computed using a Bayesian approach. In addition, preselected threshold values of likelihood measure of simulations are employed for sizing the parameter range, which helps reduce the predictive uncertainty. The proposed method is illustrated through two case studies using two hydrologically independent sub‐basins in the Cedar Creek watershed located in Texas, USA, using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. The probability distribution of the SWAT parameters is derived from the data from one of the sub‐basins and is applied for simulation in the other sub‐basin considered as pseudo‐ungauged. In order to assess the robustness of the method, the numerical exercise is repeated by reversing the gauged and pseudo‐ungauged basins. The results are subsequently compared with the measured stream flow from the sub‐basins. It is observed that the measured stream flow in the pseudo‐ungauged basin lies well within the estimated confidence band of predicted stream flow. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Predictions in ungauged basins: an approach for regionalization of hydrological models considering the probability distribution of model parameters

Regionalization of model parameters by developing appropriate functional relationship between the parameters and basin characteristics is one of the potential approaches to employ hydrological models in ungauged basins. While this is a widely accepted procedure, the uniqueness of the watersheds and the equifinality of parameters bring lot of uncertainty in the simulations in ungauged basins. This study proposes a method of regionalization based on the probability distribution function of model parameters, which accounts the variability in the catchment characteristics. It is envisaged that the probability distribution function represents the characteristics of the model parameter, and when regionalized the earlier concerns can be addressed appropriately. The method employs probability distribution of parameters, derived from gauged basins, to regionalize by regressing them against the catchment attributes. These regional functions are used to develop the parameter characteristics in ungauged basins based on the catchment attributes. The proposed method is illustrated using soil water assessment tool model for an ungauged basin prediction. For this numerical exercise, eight different watersheds spanning across different climatic settings in the USA are considered. While all the basins considered in this study were gauged, one of them was assumed to be ungauged (pseudo-ungauged) in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in ungauged basin simulation. The process was repeated by considering representative basins from different climatic and landuse scenarios as pseudo-ungauged. The results of the study indicated that the ensemble simulations in the ungauged basins were closely matching with the observed streamflow. The simulation efficiency varied between 57 and 61 % in ungauged basins. The regional function was able to generate the parameter characteristics that were closely matching with the original probability distribution derived from observed streamflow data.     

A regional model of low flow for southern Taiwan

The primary purpose of this study is to develop regional models of the lower part of flow duration curves (LPFDCs) to synthesize low‐flow characteristics at ungauged sites in southern Taiwan. Because of the close relationship between low streamflow regimes and hydrogeological features, the model development first involved delimiting homogeneous hydrogeological regions by using two‐step cluster analysis. Each homogeneous region was then discriminated by an equation developed on the basis of its hydrogeological features, which was then used to determine which of three sets of regional LPFDC models would be appropriate for a particular ungauged site. Each of the three sets of regional LPFDC models were developed using both conventional multivariate statistical regression and fuzzy regression. Thirty‐four stream‐gauged watersheds located in southern Taiwan provide the data set. The study results reveal that the regional LPFDC models developed in this study could be applied reasonably at ungauged sites. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Incorporating uncertainty in hydrological predictions for gauged and ungauged basins in southern Africa

Abstract

The increasing demand for water in southern Africa necessitates adequate quantification of current freshwater resources. Watershed models are the standard tool used to generate continuous estimates of streamflow and other hydrological variables. However, the accuracy of the results is often not quantified, and model assessment is hindered by a scarcity of historical observations. Quantifying the uncertainty in hydrological estimates would increase the value and credibility of predictions. A model-independent framework aimed at achieving consistency in incorporating and analysing uncertainty within water resources estimation tools in gauged and ungauged basins is presented. Uncertainty estimation in ungauged basins is achieved via two strategies: a local approach for a priori model parameter estimation from physical catchment characteristics, and a regional approach to regionalize signatures of catchment behaviour that can be used to constrain model outputs. We compare these two sources of information in the data-scarce region of South Africa. The results show that both approaches are capable of uncertainty reduction, but that their relative values vary.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis

Citation Kapangaziwiri, E., Hughes, D.A., and Wagener, T., 2012. Incorporating uncertainty in hydrological predictions for gauged and ungauged basins in southern Africa. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (5), 1000–1019.     

IAHS Decade on Predictions in Ungauged Basins (PUB), 2003–2012: Shaping an exciting future for the hydrological sciences

Abstract

Drainage basins in many parts of the world are ungauged or poorly gauged, and in some cases existing measurement networks are declining. The problem is compounded by the impacts of human-induced changes to the land surface and climate, occurring at the local, regional and global scales. Predictions of ungauged or poorly gauged basins under these conditions are highly uncertain. The IAHS Decade on Predictions in Ungauged Basins, or PUB, is a new initiative launched by the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS), aimed at formulating and implementing appropriate science programmes to engage and energize the scientific community, in a coordinated manner, towards achieving major advances in the capacity to make predictions in ungauged basins. The PUB scientific programme focuses on the estimation of predictive uncertainty, and its subsequent reduction, as its central theme. A general hydrological prediction system contains three components: (a) a model that describes the key processes of interest, (b) a set of parameters that represent those landscape properties that govern critical processes, and (c) appropriate meteorological inputs (where needed) that drive the basin response. Each of these three components of the prediction system, is either not known at all, or at best known imperfectly, due to the inherent multi-scale space—time heterogeneity of the hydrological system, especially in ungauged basins. PUB will therefore include a set of targeted scientific programmes that attempt to make inferences about climatic inputs, parameters and model structures from available but inadequate data and process knowledge, at the basin of interest and/or from other similar basins, with robust measures of the uncertainties involved, and their impacts on predictive uncertainty. Through generation of improved understanding, and methods for the efficient quantification of the underlying multi-scale heterogeneity of the basin and its response, PUB will inexorably lead to new, innovative methods for hydrological predictions in ungauged basins in different parts of the world, combined with significant reductions of predictive uncertainty. In this way, PUB will demonstrate the value of data, as well as provide the information needed to make predictions in ungauged basins, and assist in capacity building in the use of new technologies. This paper presents a summary of the science and implementation plan of PUB, with a call to the hydrological community to participate actively in the realization of these goals.     

Improving streamflow estimation in ungauged basins using a multi-modelling approach

ABSTRACT

In this study, a multi-modelling approach is proposed for improved continuous daily streamflow estimation in ungauged basins using regionalization—the process of transferring hydrological data from gauged to ungauged watersheds. Four regionalization models, two data-driven and two hydrological, were used for continuous daily streamflow estimation. Comparison of the individual models reveals that each of the four models performed well on a limited number of ungauged basins while none of them performed well for the entire 90 selected watersheds. The results obtained from the four models are evaluated and reported in a deterministic way by a model combination approach along with its uncertainty range consisting of 16 ensemble members. It is shown that a combined model of the four individual models performed well on all 90 watersheds and the ensemble range can account for the uncertainty of models. The combined model was more efficient and appeared more robust compared to the individual models. Furthermore, continuous ranked probability scores (CRPS) calculated for the ensemble model outputs indicate better performance compared to individual models and competitive with the combined model.

EDITOR A. Castellarin ASSOCIATE EDITOR G. Di Baldassarre     

A canonical correlation approach to the determination of homogeneous regions for regional flood estimation of ungauged basins

Abstract

A canonical correlation method for determining the homogeneous regions used for estimating flood characteristics of ungauged basins is described. The method emphasizes graphical and quantitative analysis of relationships between the basin and flood variables before the data of the gauged basins are used for estimating the flood variables of the ungauged basin. The method can be used for both homogeneous regions, determined a priori by clustering algorithms in the space of the flood-related canonical variables, as well as for “regions of influence” or “neighbourhoods” centred on the point representing the estimated location of the ungauged basin in that space.     

Recession flow prediction in gauged and ungauged basins by just considering past discharge information

ABSTRACT

Two contrasting methods have been proposed recently to predict the recession flow coefficient using past discharge information only. This study proposes a new method that attempts to obtain past discharge information that is minimally influenced by non-subsurface storage-controlled flows. The existing and new methods were tested using data from 324 US Geological Survey basins, and the new method was found to be superior to both existing methods in 265 basins. Furthermore, this study for the first time used past discharge-derived coefficients to predict recession discharge. The model performance was found to be satisfactory (NSE > 0.5) in 244 basins. Our results also show that the new framework may be useful in certain regions for predicting recession discharge in totally ungauged basins using past discharge information from nearby gauged basins. Overall, this study advances the idea that recession discharge can be predicted by just using past discharge data.     

基于卫星遥感的太湖蓝藻水华时空分布规律认识

由于大尺度水文模型和无资料区水文研究是当前国际水文研究的重点和难点,通过参数区域化方法来估计大尺度区域和无资料区的模型参数值成为了研究的热点之一将HBV模型应用于东江流域及其子流域,采用代理流域法和全局乎均法来估计该区域内无资料流域的模型参数研究表明：HBV模型能较好得用于东江流域径流模拟;交叉检验中,较小的序和ME值对应的参数,其转移效果不一定比较大的R^2和ME值对应的参数转移效果差;全局平均法中,面积权重平均值和泰森多边形插值后平均并不能明显改进子流域算术平均值估计无资料流域的模型参数的模拟结果;两者都能有效用于东江流域无资料流域的参数估计,且效果相差不大。     

Hydrological Sciences Journal Contents 2002

Abstract

Flood frequency estimation is crucial in both engineering practice and hydrological research. Regional analysis of flood peak discharges is used for more accurate estimates of flood quantiles in ungauged or poorly gauged catchments. This is based on the identification of homogeneous zones, where the probability distribution of annual maximum peak flows is invariant, except for a scale factor represented by an index flood. The numerous applications of this method have highlighted obtaining accurate estimates of index flood as a critical step, especially in ungauged or poorly gauged sections, where direct estimation by sample mean of annual flood series (AFS) is not possible, or inaccurate. Therein indirect methods have to be used. Most indirect methods are based upon empirical relationships that link index flood to hydrological, climatological and morphological catchment characteristics, developed by means of multi-regression analysis, or simplified lumped representation of rainfall–runoff processes. The limits of these approaches are increasingly evident as the size and spatial variability of the catchment increases. In these cases, the use of a spatially-distributed, physically-based hydrological model, and time continuous simulation of discharge can improve estimation of the index flood. This work presents an application of the FEST-WB model for the reconstruction of 29 years of hourly streamflows for an Alpine snow-fed catchment in northern Italy, to be used for index flood estimation. To extend the length of the simulated discharge time series, meteorological forcings given by daily precipitation and temperature at ground automatic weather stations are disaggregated hourly, and then fed to FEST-WB. The accuracy of the method in estimating index flood depending upon length of the simulated series is discussed, and suggestions for use of the methodology provided.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis     

Hydrological appraisal of rainfall estimates from radar,satellite, raingauge and satellite–gauge combination on the Qinhuai River Basin,China

ABSTRACT

Multisource rainfall products can be used to overcome the absence of gauged precipitation data for hydrological applications. This study aims to evaluate rainfall estimates from the Chinese S-band weather radar (CINRAD-SA), operational raingauges, multiple satellites (CMORPH, ERA-Interim, GPM, TRMM-3B42RT) and the merged satellite–gauge rainfall products, CMORPH-GC, as inputs to a calibrated probability distribution model (PDM) on the Qinhuai River Basin in Nanjing, China. The Qinhuai is a middle-sized catchment with an area of 799 km². All sources used in this study are capable of recording rainfall at high spatial and temporal resolution (3 h). The discrepancies between satellite and radar data are analysed by statistical comparison with raingauge data. The streamflow simulation results from three flood events suggest that rainfall estimates using CMORPH-GC, TRMM-3B42RT and S-band radar are more accurate than those using the other rainfall sources. These findings indicate the potential to use satellite and radar data as alternatives to raingauge data in hydrological applications for ungauged or poorly gauged basins.     

Reservoir attenuation of floods from ungauged basins

Abstract

In a typical reservoir routing problem, the givens are the inflow hydrograph and reservoir characteristic functions. Flood attenuation investigations can be easily accomplished using a hydrological or hydraulic routing of the inflow hydrograph to obtain the reservoir outflow hydrograph, unless the inflow hydrograph is unavailable. Although attempts for runoff simulation have been made in ungauged basins, there is only a limited degree of success in special cases. Those approaches are, in general, not suitable for basins with a reservoir. The objective of this study is to propose a procedure for flood attenuation estimation in ungauged reservoir basins. In this study, a kinematic-wave based geomorphic IUH model was adopted. The reservoir inflow hydrograph was generated through convolution integration using the rainfall excess and basin geomorphic information. Consequently, a fourth-order Runge-Kutta method was used to route the inflow hydrograph to obtain the reservoir outflow hydrograph without the aid of recorded flow data. Flood attenuation was estimated through the analysis of the inflow and outflow hydrographs of the reservoir. An ungauged reservoir basin in southern Taiwan is presented as an example to show the applicability of the proposed analytical procedure. The analytical results provide valuable information for downstream flood control work for different return periods.     

Parameter uncertainty of the AWBM model when applied to an ungauged catchment

In this study, a quantitative assessment of uncertainty was made in connection with the calibration of Australian Water Balance Model (AWBM) for both gauged and ungauged catchment cases. For the gauged catchment, five different rainfall data sets, 23 different calibration data lengths and eight different optimization techniques were adopted. For the ungauged catchment case, the optimum parameter sets obtained from the nearest gauged catchment were transposed to the ungauged catchments, and two regional prediction equations were used to estimate runoff. Uncertainties were ascertained by comparing the observed and modelled runoffs by the AWBM on the basis of different combinations of methods, model parameters and input data. The main finding from this study was that the uncertainties in the AWBM modelling outputs could vary from ?1.3% to 70% owing to different input rainfall data, ?5.7% to 11% owing to different calibration data lengths and ?6% to 0.2% owing to different optimization techniques adopted in the calibration of the AWBM. The performance of the AWBM model was found to be dominated mainly by the selection of appropriate rainfall data followed by the selection of an appropriate calibration data length and optimization algorithm. Use of relatively short data length (e.g. 3 to 6 years) in the calibration was found to generate relatively poor results. Effects of different optimization techniques on the calibration were found to be minimal. The uncertainties reported here in relation to the calibration and runoff estimation by the AWBM model are relevant to the selected study catchments, which are likely to differ for other catchments. The methodology presented in this paper can be applied to other catchments in Australia and other countries using AWBM and similar rainfall–runoff models. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Water and nutrient predictions in ungauged basins: set-up and evaluation of a model at the national scale

Abstract

A dynamic water quality model, HYPE, was applied to a large, data-sparse region to study whether reliable information on water quantity and water quality could be obtained for both gauged and ungauged waterbodies. The model (called S-HYPE) was set up for all of Sweden (～450 000 km²), divided into sub-basins with an average area of 28 km². Readily available national databases were used for physiographic data, emissions and agricultural practices, fixed values for representative years were used. Daily precipitation and temperature were used as the dynamic forcing of the model. Model evaluation was based on data from several hundred monitoring sites, of which approximately 90% had not been used in calibration on a daily scale. Results were evaluated using the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), correlation and relative errors: 92% of the spatial variation was explained for specific water discharge, and 88% and 59% for total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations, respectively. Day-to-day variations were modelled with satisfactory results for water discharge and the seasonal variation of nitrogen concentrations was also generally well captured. In 20 large, unregulated rivers the median NSE for water discharge was 0.84, and the corresponding number for 76 partly-regulated river basins was 0.52. In small basins, the NSE was typically above 0.6. These major achievements relative to previous similar experiments were ascribed to the step-wise calibration process using representative gauged basins and the use of a modelling concept, whereby coefficients are linked to physiographic variables rather than to specific sites.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis

Citation Strömqvist, J., Arheimer, B., Dahné, J., Donnelly, C. and Lindström, G., 2012. Water and nutrient predictions in ungauged basins: set-up and evaluation of a model at the national scale. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (2), 229–247.     

Regional models of flow-duration curves of perennial and intermittent streams and their use for calibrating the parameters of a rainfall–runoff model

Abstract

One of the main challenges faced by hydrologists and water engineers is the estimation of variables needed for water resources planning and management in ungauged river basins. To this end, techniques for transposing information, such as hydrological regional analyses, are widely employed. A method is presented for regionalizing flow-duration curves (FDCs) in perennial, intermittent and ephemeral rivers, based on the extended Burr XII probability distribution. This distribution shows great flexibility to fit data, with accurate reproduction of flow extremes. The performance analysis showed that, in general, the regional models are able to synthesize FDCs in ungauged basins, with a few possible drawbacks in the application of the method to intermittent and ephemeral rivers. In addition to the regional models, we summarize the experience of using synthetic FDCs for the indirect calibration of the Rio Grande rainfall–runoff model parameters in ungauged basins.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis

Citation Costa, V., Fernandes, W., and Naghettini, M., 2013. Regional models of flow-duration curves of perennial and intermittent streams and their use for calibrating the parameters of a rainfall–runoff model. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 59 (2), 262–277.     

Regionalization of constraints on expected watershed response behavior for improved predictions in ungauged basins

Approaches to modeling the continuous hydrologic response of ungauged basins use observable physical characteristics of watersheds to either directly infer values for the parameters of hydrologic models, or to establish regression relationships between watershed structure and model parameters. Both these approaches still have widely discussed limitations, including impacts of model structural uncertainty. In this paper we introduce an alternative, model independent, approach to streamflow prediction in ungauged basins based on empirical evidence of relationships between watershed structure, climate and watershed response behavior. Instead of directly estimating values for model parameters, different hydrologic response behaviors of the watershed, quantified through model independent streamflow indices, are estimated and subsequently regionalized in an uncertainty framework. This results in expected ranges of streamflow indices in ungauged watersheds. A pilot study using 30 UK watersheds shows how this regionalized information can be used to constrain ensemble predictions of any model at ungauged sites. Dominant controlling characteristics were found to be climate (wetness index), watershed topography (slope), and hydrogeology. Main streamflow indices were high pulse count, runoff ratio, and the slope of the flow duration curve. This new approach provided sharp and reliable predictions of continuous streamflow at the ungauged sites tested.     

Application of a regionalized Clark IUH model with limited hydrologic data availability

To aid prediction of the flow hydrograph in a basin with limited data, a practical approach to determining a regionalized Clark instantaneous unit hydrograph (IUH) model is presented. The proposed model is described in terms of the synthetic time–area concentration curve, the concentration time, and a special regional similarity value that is valid in the whole basin. The latter was estimated from a Monte Carlo testing procedure based on the normal probability distribution of transformed regional similarity values composed of the time of concentration and the storage coefficient in gauged basins. The time–area concentration curve and the concentration time were calculated from a rational equation as in conventional methods. The method of transformation adopted was the Box–Cox power transformation, which is known to make non‐normal values resemble normal data. By introducing the regional similarity value into a Clark IUH, a statistically best estimate of IUH for given data conditions and its quantified degree of uncertainty were realized. The Wi River basin in Korea was used to test the applicability of the regionalized Clark IUH. The performance of the suggested methodology was evaluated by assuming an ungauged sub‐basin at the site. The results showed that the IUH model developed in this work was an effective tool, predicting a reliable hydrograph within the study area even though only limited data were available. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.