Combining the SWAT model with sequential uncertainty fitting algorithm for streamflow prediction and uncertainty analysis for the Lake Dianchi Basin,China

Streams play an important role in linking the land with lakes. Nutrients released from agricultural or urban sources flow via streams to lakes, causing water quality deterioration and eutrophication. Therefore, accurate simulation of streamflow is helpful for water quality improvement in lake basins. Lake Dianchi has been listed in the ‘Three Important Lakes Restoration Act’ in China, and the degradation of its water quality has been of great concern since the 1980s. To assist environmental decision making, it is important to assess and predict hydrological processes at the basin scale. This study evaluated the performance of the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) and the feasibility of using this model as a decision support tool for predicting streamflow in the Lake Dianchi Basin. The model was calibrated and validated using monthly observed streamflow values at three flow stations within the Lake Dianchi Basin through application of the sequential uncertainty fitting algorithm (SUFI‐2). The results of the autocalibration method for calibrating and the prediction uncertainty from different sources were also examined. Together, the p‐factor (the percentage of measured data bracketed by 95% prediction of uncertainty, or 95PPU) and the r‐factor (the average thickness of the 95PPU band divided by the standard deviation of the measured data) indicated the strength of the calibration and uncertainty analysis. The results showed that the SUFI‐2 algorithm performed better than the autocalibration method. Comparison of the SUFI‐2 algorithm and autocalibration results showed that some snowmelt factors were sensitive to model output upstream at the Panlongjiang flow station. The 95PPU captured more than 70% of the observed streamflow at the three flow stations. The corresponding p‐factors and r‐factors suggested that some flow stations had relatively large uncertainty, especially in the prediction of some peak flows. Although uncertainty existed, statistical criteria including R² and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency were reasonably determined. The model produced a useful result and can be used for further applications. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Parameter and rating curve uncertainty propagation analysis of the SWAT model for two small Mediterranean catchments

Abstract

The SWAT model was tested to simulate the streamflow of two small Mediterranean catchments (the Vène and the Pallas) in southern France. Model calibration and prediction uncertainty were assessed simultaneously by using three different techniques (SUFI-2, GLUE and ParaSol). Initially, a sensitivity analysis was conducted using the LH-OAT method. Subsequent sensitive parameter calibration and SWAT prediction uncertainty were analysed by considering, firstly, deterministic discharge data (assuming no uncertainty in discharge data) and secondly, uncertainty in discharge data through the development of a methodology that accounts explicitly for error in the rating curve (the stage?discharge relationship). To efficiently compare the different uncertainty methods and the effect of the uncertainty of the rating curve on model prediction uncertainty, common criteria were set for the likelihood function, the threshold value and the number of simulations. The results show that model prediction uncertainty is not only case-study specific, but also depends on the selected uncertainty analysis technique. It was also found that the 95% model prediction uncertainty interval is wider and more successful at encompassing the observations when uncertainty in the discharge data is considered explicitly. The latter source of uncertainty adds additional uncertainty to the total model prediction uncertainty.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor D. Gerten

Citation Sellami, H., La Jeunesse, I., Benabdallah, S., and Vanclooster, M., 2013. Parameter and rating curve uncertainty propagation analysis of the SWAT model for two small Mediterranean watersheds. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (8), 1635?1657.     

Impact of climate and land-use changes on hydrological processes and sediment yield—a case study of the Be River catchment,Vietnam

Abstract

The impact of climate and land-use changes on hydrological processes and sediment yield is investigated in the Be River catchment, Vietnam, using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model. The sensitivity analysis, model calibration and validation indicated that the SWAT model could reasonably simulate the hydrology and sediment yield in the catchment. From this, the responses of the hydrology and sediment to climate change and land-use changes were considered. The results indicate that deforestation had increased the annual flow (by 1.2%) and sediment load (by 11.3%), and that climate change had also significantly increased the annual streamflow (by 26.3%) and sediment load (by 31.7%). Under the impact of coupled climate and land-use changes, the annual streamflow and sediment load increased by 28.0% and 46.4%, respectively. In general, during the 1978–2000 period, climate change influenced the hydrological processes in the Be River catchment more strongly than the land-use change.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor Q. Zhang

Citation Khoi, D.N. and Suetsugi, T., 2014. Impact of climate and land-use changes on hydrological processes and sediment yield—a case study of the Be River catchment, Vietnam. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 59 (5), 1095–1108.     

Suitability of MUSLT for storm sediment yield prediction in Chehelgazi watershed,Iran

Abstract

The Chehelgazi watershed of Gheshlagh Dam in western Iran was selected to check the capability of the MUSLT (Theoretical Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation) model for estimating sediment yield during storms. The efficiency of MUSLT for sediment yield prediction was assessed using observed sediment data recorded for 11 storm events between October 2006 and April 2007. The results showed that MUSLT overestimated sediment yield with a high coefficient of determination (R² = 0.636 and p < 0.05), and it was then calibrated by examining regression models. The developed calibrated model (C-MUSLT) performed well, with a coefficient of determination of 0.739 (p < 0.05) and relative estimation and verification errors of 49.36 and 25.18%, respectively. The results of comparison between observed and estimated values, obtained by applying the calibrated model, confirmed that the difference was significant with a t value of 1.453 (p?=?0.05).

Citation Sadeghi, S.H.R., Gholami, L., and Khaledi Darvishan, A.V., 2013. Suitability of MUSLT for storm sediment yield prediction in Chehelgazi watershed, Iran. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (4), 892–897.     

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of runoff and sediment yield in a small agricultural watershed with KINEROS2 / Analyse d'incertitude et de sensibilité des simulations d'écoulement et de transport solide de KINEROS2 dans un petit bassin versant agricole

Abstract

Using the Monte Carlo (MC) method, this paper derives arithmetic and geometric means and associated variances of the net capillary drive parameter, G, that appears in the Parlange infiltration model, as a function of soil texture and antecedent soil moisture content. Approximate expressions for the arithmetic and geometric statistics of G are also obtained, which compare favourably with MC generated ones. This paper also applies the MC method to evaluate parameter sensitivity and predictive uncertainty of the distributed runoff and erosion model KINEROS2 in a small experimental watershed. The MC simulations of flow and sediment related variables show that those parameters which impart the greatest uncertainty to KINEROS2 model outputs are not necessarily the most sensitive ones. Soil hydraulic conductivity and wetting front net capillary drive, followed by initial effective relative saturation, dominated uncertainties of flow and sediment discharge model outputs at the watershed outlet. Model predictive uncertainty measured by the coefficient of variation decreased with rainfall intensity, thus implying improved model reliability for larger rainfall events. The antecedent relative saturation was the most sensitive parameter in all but the peak arrival times, followed by the overland plane roughness coefficient. Among the sediment related parameters, the median particle size and hydraulic erosion parameters dominated sediment model output uncertainty and sensitivity. Effect of rain splash erosion coefficient was negligible. Comparison of medians from MC simulations and simulations by direct substitution of average parameters with observed flow rates and sediment discharges indicates that KINEROS2 can be applied to ungauged watersheds and still produce runoff and sediment yield predictions within order of magnitude of accuracy.     

Distinct effects of temperature change on discharge and non-point pollution in subtropical southern China by SWAT simulation

Abstract

Climate change impacts on the availability of water resources. Projection of hydrological response to temperature change is valuable for water management. Such response may be complex and uncertain at the watershed scale and differences may exist between low and high latitudes. A simulation experiment was achieved by using SWAT modelling in the upstream watershed of Dongjiang River, South China. After calibration, the model was found appropriate for hydrological simulation in the study area and was run from 1995 to 2004 under a series of temperature change scenarios to reveal the response of streamflow and loads of sediment and nutrients. For a temperature increase of 3°C, streamflow, sediment and total phosphorus decreased by 5.2, 7.7 and 2.2%, respectively. Linear temperature change seemed to have a linear hydrological response. Nutrient deficiency was still the primary vegetation stress compared with water availability and temperature stress under rising temperatures. Comparison with previous research showed that two southern subtropical watersheds (one upstream and one downstream) gave different hydrological responses. Sediment and inorganic nitrogen loads decreased in the upstream watershed, but increased in the downstream one, when temperature increased. Under the warming scenarios, streamflow and sediment loads decreased throughout the year, especially during the wet season, which is different from results at high latitudes. Nutrient export decreased in April–June, but increased in the remaining months. Simulation results should be applied with caution in water resources management, as simulated climate change had variable hydrological influence in different regions and seasons.

Citation Xu, H. and Peng, S.L., 2013. Distinct effects of temperature change on discharge and non-point pollution in subtropical southern China by SWAT simulation. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (5), 1032–1046.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor C.-Y. Xu     

Modelling the impacts of subsurface drainage on surface runoff and sediment yield in the Le Sueur Watershed,Minnesota, USA

Abstract

Tile drainage influences infiltration and surface runoff and is thus an important factor in the erosion process. Tile drainage reduces surface runoff, but questions abound on its influence on sediment transport through its dense network and into the stream network. The impact of subsurface tiling on upland erosion rates in the Le Sueur River watershed, USA, was assessed using the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model. Six different scenarios of tile drainage with varying drainage coefficient and management type (no till and autumn mulch-till) were evaluated. The mean annual surface runoff depth, soil loss rate and sediment delivery ratio (SDR) for croplands, based on a 30-year simulation for the watershed with untiled autumn mulch-till (Scenario 1), were estimated to be 83.5 mm, 0.27 kg/m² and 86.7%, respectively; on no-till management systems (Scenario 4), the respective results were 72.3 mm, 0.06 kg/m² and 88.2%. Tile drains reduced surface runoff, soil loss and SDR estimates for Scenario 1 by, on average, 14.5, 8.1 and 7.9%, respectively; and for Scenario 4 by an estimated 31.5, 22.1 and 20.2%, respectively. The impact of tile drains on surface runoff, soil loss and SDR was greater under the no-till management system than under the autumn mulch-till management system. Comparison of WEPP outputs with those of the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) showed differences between the two methods.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz

Citation Maalim, F.K. and Melesse. A.M., 2013. Modelling impacts of subsurface drainage on surface runoff and sediment yield in the Le Sueur Watershed in Minnesota, USA. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (3), 570–586.     

Climate change sensitivity assessment of streamflow and agricultural pollutant transport in California's Central Valley using Latin hypercube sampling

Bracketing the uncertainty of streamflow and agricultural runoff under climate change is critical for proper future water resource management in agricultural watersheds. This study used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in conjunction with a Latin hypercube climate change sampling algorithm to construct a 95% confidence interval (95CI) around streamflow, sediment load, and nitrate load predictions under changes in climate for the Sacramento and San Joaquin River watersheds in California's Central Valley. The Latin hypercube algorithm sampled 2000 combinations of precipitation and temperature changes based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections from multiple General Circulation Models. Average monthly percent changes of the upper and lower 95CI limits compared to the present‐day simulation and a statistic termed the “r‐factor” (average width of the 95CI band divided by the standard deviation of the 95CI bandwidth) were used to assess watershed sensitivities. 95CI results indicate that streamflow and sediment runoff in the Sacramento River watershed are more likely to decrease under climate change compared to present‐day conditions, whereas the increase and decrease for nitrate runoff were found to be equal. For the San Joaquin River watershed, streamflow slightly decreased under climate change, whereas sediment and nitrate runoff increased compared to present‐day climate. Comparisons of watershed sensitivities indicate that the San Joaquin River watershed is more sensitive to climate changes than the Sacramento River watershed, which is largely caused by the high density of agricultural land. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Watershed modelling of hydrology and water quality in the Sacramento River watershed,California

Agricultural pollutant runoff is a major source of water contamination in California's Sacramento River watershed where 8500 km² of agricultural land influences water quality. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrology, sediment, nitrate and pesticide transport components were assessed for the Sacramento River watershed. To represent flood conveyance in the area, the model was improved by implementing a flood routing algorithm. Sensitivity/uncertainty analyses and multi‐objective calibration were incorporated into the model application for predicting streamflow, sediment, nitrate and pesticides (chlorpyrifos and diazinon) at multiple watershed sites from 1992 to 2008. Most of the observed data were within the 95% uncertainty interval, indicating that the SWAT simulations were capturing the uncertainties that existed, such as model simplification, observed data errors and lack of agricultural management data. The monthly Nash–Sutcliffe coefficients at the watershed outlet ranged from 0.48 to 0.82, indicating that the model was able to successfully predict streamflow and agricultural pollutant transport after calibration. Predicted sediment loads were highly correlated to streamflow, whereas nitrate, chlorpyrifos and diazinon were moderately correlated to streamflow. This indicates that timing of agricultural management operations plays a role in agricultural pollutant runoff. Best management practices, such as pesticide use limits during wet seasons, could improve water quality in the Sacramento River watershed. The calibrated model establishes a modelling framework for further studies of hydrology, water quality and ecosystem protection in the study area. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flow and nutrient transport in intermittent rivers: a modelling case-study on the Vène River using SWAT 2005

Abstract

Intermittent rivers have a specific hydrological behaviour which also influences water quality dynamics. The objective of this work was to model the flow and water quality dynamics of a coastal Mediterranean intermittent river using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT 2005). Flow, sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus transport were simulated on the Vène experimental catchment, France. The model was sequentially calibrated at sub-catchment scale and validated both at sub-catchment and catchment scales. A procedure for building the data records for the point sources is presented. The results indicate that, while the model produces good results for flow simulation, its performance for sediment transport is less satisfactory. This in turn impacts on the nutrient transport module. The reasons behind these shortcomings are analysed, taking into account the length of the data records, their distribution and the equations used in the SWAT model. The need for a thorough multi-objective model validation is illustrated.

Citation Chahinian, N., Tournoud, M.-G., Perrin, J.-L. & Picot, B. (2011) Flow and nutrient transport in intermittent rivers: a modelling case-study on the Vène River using SWAT 2005. Hydrol. Sci. J. 56(2), 268–287.     

Hydrological modelling of a small watershed using generated rainfall in the soil and water assessment tool model

An adequately tested soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model was applied to the runoff and sediment yield of a small agricultural watershed in eastern India using generated rainfall. The capability of the model for generating rainfall was evaluated for a period of 18 years (1981–1998). The watershed and subwatershed boundaries, drainage networks, slope, soil series and texture maps were generated using a geographical information system (GIS). A supervised classification method was used for land‐use/cover classification from satellite imageries. Model simulated monthly rainfall for the period of 18 years was compared with observations. Simulated monthly rainfall, runoff and sediment yield values for the monsoon season of 8 years (1991–1998) were also compared with their observed values. In general monthly average rainfall predicted by the model was in close agreement with the observed monthly average values. Also, simulated monthly average values of surface runoff and sediment yield using generated rainfall compared well with observed values during the monsoon season of the years 1991–1998. Results of this study revealed that the SWAT model can generate monthly average rainfall satisfactorily and thereby can produce monthly average values of surface runoff and sediment yield close to the observed values. Therefore, it can be concluded that the SWAT model could be used for developing a multiple year management plan for the critical erosion prone areas of a small watershed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The NHDPlus dataset,watershed subdivision and SWAT model performance

Abstract

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) has been developed to evaluate the effectiveness of agricultural management practices on watershed water quality. Many studies have indicated that watershed subdivision can affect the accuracy of model predictions. Most of them used the minimum drainage area (MDA) to delineate sub-watersheds, and varied the value of MDA depending on the size of the watershed being modelled. Instead of MDA, we use the National Hydrography Dataset Plus (NHDPlus)—an integration of the best features of the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD), National Elevation Dataset (NED), and the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD)—to delineate the watershed. The Kaskaskia River watershed in Illinois, USA, was selected to investigate the individual effects of sub-watershed and hydrologic response unit (HRU) delineations on predicted streamflow, total suspended sediment (TSS) and total nitrogen (TN) losses at two USGS gauges. In addition, an MDA of 3000 ha, and four levels of stream (the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th order) were evaluated. Three levels of HRU threshold (5%, 10% and 15%) were used for each stream order model. The results show that stream order had little effect on predicted streamflow, but a great impact on TSS and TN losses, and the impact of HRU delineation became greater when a higher stream order was used to delineate the watershed. For higher stream order, fewer streams were recognized in SWAT simulations, which resulted in less sediment routing and channel processes, which, in turn, led to less deposition in the channels; thus high sediment losses were obtained at the watershed outlet. However, fewer channel processes led to less in-stream N processes; thus lower TN losses. Overall, the SWAT simulations performed the best when the 2nd stream order was used for delineations comparing with USGS observed data, followed by the 3rd stream order. Therefore, to fully depict the watershed characteristics to perform SWAT simulations, a stream order higher than 3rd order is not recommended for watershed delineation.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor C. Perrin     

SWAT-based hydrological modelling of tropical land-use scenarios

Abstract

The Hulu Langat basin, a strategic watershed in Malaysia, has in recent decades been exposed to extensive changes in land-use and consequently hydrological conditions. In this work, the impact of Land Use and Cover Change (LUCC) on hydrological conditions (water discharge and sediment load) of the basin were investigated using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Four land-use scenarios were defined for land-use change impact analysis, i.e. past, present (baseline), future and water conservation planning. The land-use maps, dated 1984, 1990, 1997 and 2002, were defined as the past scenarios for LUCC impact analysis. The present scenario was defined based on the 2006 land-use map. The 2020 land-use map was simulated using a cellular automata-Markov model and defined as the future scenario. Water conservation scenarios were produced based on guidelines published by Malaysia’s Department of Town and Country Planning and Department of Environment. Model calibration and uncertainty analysis was performed using the Sequential Uncertainty Fitting (SUFI-2) algorithm. The model robustness for water discharge simulation for the period 1997–2008 was good. However, due to uncertainties, mainly resulting from intense urban development in the basin, its robustness for sediment load simulation was only acceptable for the calibration period 1997–2004. The optimized model was run using different land-use maps over the periods 1997–2008 and 1997–2004 for water discharge and sediment load estimation, respectively. In comparison to the baseline scenario, SWAT simulation using the past and conservative scenarios showed significant reduction in monthly direct runoff and monthly sediment load, while SWAT simulation based on the future scenario showed significant increase in monthly direct runoff, monthly sediment load and groundwater recharge.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor C. Perrin     

Effect of single and multi-site calibration techniques on hydrological model performance,parameter estimation and predictive uncertainty: a case study in the Logone catchment,Lake Chad basin

Understanding hydrological processes at catchment scale through the use of hydrological model parameters is essential for enhancing water resource management. Given the difficulty of using lump parameters to calibrate distributed catchment hydrological models in spatially heterogeneous catchments, a multiple calibration technique was adopted to enhance model calibration in this study. Different calibration techniques were used to calibrate the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model at different locations along the Logone river channel. These were: single-site calibration (SSC); sequential calibration (SC); and simultaneous multi-site calibration (SMSC). Results indicate that it is possible to reveal differences in hydrological behavior between the upstream and downstream parts of the catchment using different parameter values. Using all calibration techniques, model performance indicators were mostly above the minimum threshold of 0.60 and 0.65 for Nash Sutcliff Efficiency (NSE) and coefficient of determination (R ²) respectively, at both daily and monthly time-steps. Model uncertainty analysis showed that more than 60% of observed streamflow values were bracketed within the 95% prediction uncertainty (95PPU) band after calibration and validation. Furthermore, results indicated that the SC technique out-performed the other two methods (SSC and SMSC). It was also observed that although the SMSC technique uses streamflow data from all gauging stations during calibration and validation, thereby taking into account the catchment spatial variability, the choice of each calibration method will depend on the application and spatial scale of implementation of the modelling results in the catchment.     

Assessing the impacts of land cover and climate on runoff and sediment yield of a river basin

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the impacts of changes in land cover and climate on runoff and sediment yield in a river basin in India. Land Change Modeler was used to derive the future land cover and its changes using the Sankey diagram approach. The future climatic parameters were derived from five general circulation models for two emission scenarios with representative concentration pathways (RCPs) 4.5 and 8.5. The land cover and climate change impacts on runoff and sediment yield were estimated using SWAT model. The results show important changes in land cover and indicate that urban and agricultural areas strongly influence the runoff and sediment yield. Among the land cover and climate change impacts, climate has more predominant (70%–95%) impact. Runoff and sediment yield are likely to decrease in both RCP scenarios in the future period. The impacts of land cover changes are more prominent on sediment yield than runoff.     

Physically-based distributed soil erosion and sediment yield model (DREAM) for simulating individual storm events

Abstract

A relatively simple process-oriented, physically-based distributed (PBD) hydrological model, the distributed runoff and erosion assessment model (DREAM), is described, and a validation study conducted in the semi-forested watershed of Pathri Rao, in the Garhwal Himalayas, India, is reported. DREAM takes account of watershed heterogeneity as reflected by land use, soil type, topography and rainfall, measured in the field or estimated through remote sensing, and generates estimates of runoff and sediment yield in spatial and temporal domains. The model is based on simultaneous solution of flow dynamics, based on kinematic wave theory, followed by solution of soil erosion dynamics. As the storm rainfall proceeds, the process of overland flow generation is dependent on the interception storage and infiltration rates. The components of the soil erosion model have been modified to provide better prediction of sediment flow rates and sediment yields. The validation study conducted to test the performance of the model in simulating soil erosion and sediment yield during different storm events monitored in the study watershed showed that the model outputs are satisfactory. Details of a sensitivity analysis, model calibration and the statistical evaluation of the results obtained are also presented and discussed. It is noteworthy that the distributed nature of the model combined with the use of geographical information system (GIS) techniques permits the computation and representation of the spatial distribution of sediment yield for simulated storm events, and a map of the spatial distribution of sediment yield for a simulated storm event is presented to highlight this capability.

Citation Ramsankaran, R., Kothyari, U.C., Ghosh, S.K., Malcherek, A., and Murugesan, K., 2013. Physically-based distributed soil erosion and sediment yield model (DREAM) for simulating individual storm events. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (4), 872–891.     

Targeting of intervention areas to reduce reservoir sedimentation in the Tana catchment (Kenya) using SWAT

Abstract

A measurement campaign was carried out in the Upper Tana basin (Kenya) to quantify soil erosion and reservoir sedimentation rates, including a bathymetric reservoir survey and sediment load sampling during one year. Then, distributed soil erosion modelling was performed to study sediment budgets throughout the basin and to evaluate the potential of upstream erosion control through vegetated contour strips and check dams. Finally, the areas where these measures would be most effective were identified and local stakeholder associations to implement them were prioritized. The influence of the scale of implementation was evaluated by using the model to consider three adoption scenarios. This study illustrates the relevance of distributed erosion models to target erosion control measures when sufficient information on the eroding areas is available from field surveys. Bathymetric surveys were fundamental to validate the long-term model response, while point measurements were valuable to verify the spatial variability of model predictions.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor G. Mahé

Citation Hunink, J.E., Niadas, I.A., Antonaropoulos, P., Droogers, P., and de Vente, J., 2013. Targeting of intervention areas to reduce reservoir sedimentation in the Tana catchment (Kenya) using SWAT. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (3), 600–614.     

Modelling spatio-temporal patterns of sediment yield and connectivity in a semi-arid catchment with the WASA-SED model

Abstract

Rainfall–runoff induced soil erosion causes important environmental degradation by reducing soil fertility and impacting on water availability as a consequence of sediment deposition in surface reservoirs used for water supply, particularly in semi-arid areas. However, erosion models developed on experimental plots cannot be directly applied to estimate sediment yield at the catchment scale, since sediment redistribution is also controlled by the transport conditions along the landscape. In particular, representation of landscape connectivity relating to sediment transfer from upslope areas to the river network is required. In this study, the WASA-SED model is used to assess the spatial and temporal patterns of water and sediment connectivity for a semi-arid meso-scale catchment (933 km²) in Brazil. It is shown how spatial and temporal patterns of sediment connectivity within the catchment change as a function of landscape and event characteristics. This explains the nonlinear catchment response in terms of sediment yield at the outlet.

Citation Medeiros, P. H. A., Güntner, A., Francke, T., Mamede, G. L. & de Araújo, J. C. (2010) Modelling spatio-temporal patterns of sediment yield and connectivity in a semi-arid catchment with the WASA-SED model. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(4), 636–648.     

Modelling daily suspended sediment of rivers in Turkey using several data-driven techniques / Modélisation de la charge journalière en matières en suspension dans des rivières turques à l'aide de plusieurs techniques empiriques

Abstract

The transport of sediment load in rivers is important with respect to pollution, channel navigability, reservoir filling, longevity of hydroelectric equipment, fish habitat, river aesthetics and scientific interest. However, conventional sediment rating curves cannot estimate sediment load accurately. An adaptive neuro-fuzzy technique is investigated for its ability to improve the accuracy of the streamflow—suspended sediment rating curve for daily suspended sediment estimation. The daily streamflow and suspended sediment data for four stations in the Black Sea region of Turkey are used as case studies. A comparison is made between the estimates provided by the neuro-fuzzy model and those of the following models: radial basis neural network (RBNN), feed-forward neural network (FFNN), generalized regression neural network (GRNN), multi-linear regression (MLR) and sediment rating curve (SRC). Comparison of results reveals that the neuro-fuzzy model, in general, gives better estimates than the other techniques. Among the neural network techniques, the RBNN is found to perform better than the FFNN and GRNN.