| Title: | Baseflow simulation using SWAT model in an inland river basin in Tianshan Mountains, Northwest China |
| Authors: | Luo, Y., J. Arnold, P. Allen and X. Chen |
| Year: | 2012 |
| Journal: | Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| Volume: | 16 |
| Pages: | 1259-1267 |
| Article ID: | |
| DOI: | 10.5194/hess-16-1259-2012 |
| URL (non-DOI journals): | http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/16/1259/2012/hess-16-1259-2012.html |
| Model: | SWAT (modified) & SWAT |
| Broad Application Category: | hydrologic only |
| Primary Application Category: | snowmelt, frozen soil and/or glacier melt processes |
| Secondary Application Category: | baseflow and other hydrologic component analysis |
| Watershed Description: | 5,163 km^2 Manas River in the Tianshan Mountains in northwest China |
| Calibration Summary: | |
| Validation Summary: | |
| General Comments: | As of April 29, 2014 it appears that the DOI for this article is not working (but the URL does work). |
| Abstract: | Baseflow is an important component in hydrological
modeling. The complex streamflow recession process
complicates the baseflow simulation. In order to simulate
the snow and/or glacier melt dominated streamflow receding
quickly during the high-flow period but very slowly during
the low-flow period in rivers in arid and cold northwest
China, the current one-reservoir baseflow approach in SWAT
(SoilWater Assessment Tool) model was extended by adding
a slow- reacting reservoir and applying it to the Manas River
basin in the Tianshan Mountains. Meanwhile, a digital filter
program was employed to separate baseflow from streamflow
records for comparisons. Results indicated that the tworeservoir
method yielded much better results than the onereservoir
one in reproducing streamflow processes, and the
low-flow estimation was improved markedly. Nash-Sutcliff
efficiency values at the calibration and validation stages are
0.68 and 0.62 for the one-reservoir case, and 0.76 and 0.69
for the two-reservoir case. The filter-based method estimated
the baseflow index as 0.60, while the model-based as 0.45.
The filter-based baseflow responded almost immediately to
surface runoff occurrence at onset of rising limb, while the
model-based responded with a delay. In consideration of watershed
surface storage retention and soil freezing/thawing
effects on infiltration and recharge during initial snowmelt
season, a delay response is considered to be more reasonable.
However, a more detailed description of freezing/thawing
processes should be included in soil modules so as to determine
recharge to aquifer during these processes, and thus an
accurate onset point of rising limb of the simulated baseflow. |
| Language: | English |
| Keywords: | |