| Title: | Comparison of SWAT and GWLF model simulation performance in humid south and semi-arid north of China |
| Authors: | Qi, Z., G. Kang, C. Chu, Y. Qiu, Z. Xu and Y. Wang |
| Year: | 2017 |
| Journal: | Water |
| Volume (Issue): | 9(8) |
| Pages: | |
| Article ID: | 567 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/w9080567 |
| URL (non-DOI journals): | |
| Model: | SWAT |
| Broad Application Category: | hydrologic and pollutant |
| Primary Application Category: | model and/or data comparison |
| Secondary Application Category: | pollutant cycling/loss and transport |
| Watershed Description: | 6,376 km^2 Hanjiaying River and 2,674 km^2 Tunxi River, which are located respectively in Anhui Province (southeast) and in Hebei Province (northeast) in China. |
| Calibration Summary: | |
| Validation Summary: | |
| General Comments: | |
| Abstract: | Watershed models have gradually been adapted to support both decision and policy
making for global environmental pollution control. In this study, two watershed models with
different complexity, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and the Generalized Watershed
Loading Function (GWLF), were applied in two catchments in data scarce China, namely the Tunxi
and the Hanjiaying basins with contrasting climatic conditions (humid and semi-arid, respectively).
The performances of both models were assessed via comparison between simulated and measured
monthly streamflow, sediment yield, and total nitrogen. Time series plots as well as four statistical
measures (the coefficient of determination (R2), the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), percent bias
(PBIAS), and RMSE (root mean square error)—observations standard deviation ratio (RSR)) were
used to estimate the performance of both models. The results show that both models were generally
able to simulate monthly streamflow, sediment, and total nitrogen loadings during the simulation
period. However, SWAT performed better for detailed representations, while GWLF could produce
much better average values of the observed data. Thus, GWLF offers a user-friendly prospective
alternative watershed model that requires little input data and that is applicable for areas where
the input data required for SWAT are not always available. SWAT is more suitable for projects that
require high accuracy and offers an advantage when measured data are scarce. |
| Language: | English |
| Keywords: | SWAT; GWLF; watershed modeling; comparison; streamflow; sediment; total nitrogen |