Streamflow forecasting in remote areas

Forecasts of runoff volumes are required in order to maximize the utility of water-supply sources. In remote areas where hydrologic and land-use data are sparse, forecast models are needed; such models should be conceptually rational so they can be transferred to remote watersheds where data are sparse. A series of models were calibrated for a large watershed in India. A spatially-distributed seasonally-varying model having a structure similar to the rational method was found to provide precise, unbiased estimates of 10-day streamflow volumes. The model was tested on a watershed that was not used for calibration, with the results indicating a high correlation between the observed and measured streamflow. Thus, the model should provide good estimates of streamflow volumes on other ungaged watersheds.