SWAT Literature Database for Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

Title:Modeling the effects of climate change and human activities on the hydrological processes in a semi-arid watershed of Loess Plateau 
Authors:Li, Q.Y., X.X. Yu and Z.B. Xin 
Year:2013 
Journal:Journal of Hydrologic Engineering 
Volume (Issue):18(4) 
Pages:1-48 
Article ID: 
DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0000629 
URL (non-DOI journals): 
Model:SWAT 
Broad Application Category:hydrologic and pollutant 
Primary Application Category:land use change assessment 
Secondary Application Category:climate change assessment 
Watershed Description:1019 km^2 Jihe River in the Loess Plateau region of northern China 
Calibration Summary: 
Validation Summary: 
General Comments: 
Abstract:The hydrological cycle in a catchment is sensitive to climate and land-use changes. We conduct a case study to validate the performance of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and its applicability as a simulator of runoff and sediment transport processes at the mesoscale scale in arid and semi-arid areas. SWAT is used to simulate runoff and sediment changes caused by human activities in a typical watershed, the Jihe Watershed (1019 km^2), in the Loess Plateau of Northwestern China. A marked increase in temperature was observed over the analysis period. The investigation is conducted using 47-year historical rainfall/runoff data and sedimentary records from 1962 to 2008. The data from 1962 to 1981 was used for calibration and that from 1982 to 2008 for validation. Results showed that the Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient was about 0.7, the relative error was below 15%, and the coefficient of determination was more than 0.7 both for annual flow and sediment yield in the calibration period. These findings indicated that the SWAT model was able to simulate runoff and sediment yield satisfactorily; however, it exhibited better performance for the calibration period than it did for the validation period. Similarly, simulations of monthly flow and sediment were better for the calibration period. The simulated and observed values agree well with trend changes. Uncertainty analysis indicates that digital elevation model resolutions and watershed subdivisions imposed little influence on annual flow, but notable effects on annual sediment yield. 
Language:English 
Keywords:SWAT, Runoff, Sediment yield, LOESS PLATEAU