Impact of the spatial conceptualization of a hydrological model on the accuracy of flow simulations

Year, pages: 2018, 60 - 68

For the modeling a conceptual r-r model (the TUW model) was used. According to the spatial discretization for the given catchment, the TUW model can be compiled as a lumped or a semi-distributed, where the inputs are spatially differentiated. Both versions of the TUW model (i.e., the lumped and the semi-distributed) were used in this study. Both versions of the model were calibrated in two 10-year periods between 1991-2010. The model parameters were estimated by automatic calibration using a differential evolution algorithm. The methodological approach was applied for representative sample of 213 Austrian catchments as well as for one pilot catchment. In the first part of the study, the quality of the simulations of the mean daily flows (for 213 catchments) was assessed in terms of comparing of the NSE and VE values. We found that using the semi-distributed version of the model, we achieved better NSE results (higher values in both calibration and validation periods). In terms of VE, both versions of the model achieved comparable results (in the calibrations). In the validations, the semi-distributed version of the model proved to be more reliable. Subsequently, we selected one pilot catchment on which we demonstrated the impact of the spatial conceptualization of the model (i.e., the lumped and the semi-distributed version) on the accuracy of the mean monthly flows. We found that using the semi-distributed version of the model, the simulated values of flows were closer to real measurements.

Sleziak, P., Szolgay, J., Hlavčová, K., Parajka, J., Kubáň, M. 2018. Impact of the spatial conceptualization of a hydrological model on the accuracy of flow simulations. In Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, vol. 19, no.1, pp. 60-68. 2644-4690.

Sleziak, P., Szolgay, J., Hlavčová, K., Parajka, J., Kubáň, M. (2018). Impact of the spatial conceptualization of a hydrological model on the accuracy of flow simulations. Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, 19(1), 60-68. 2644-4690.