Evaluation of Semi-distributed and Lumped Hydrological Models in Rainfall-runoff Estimation and Simulation, Case Study: Ojanchay Basin

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Mohammad Hossein Rezaei Moghaddam
• Fariba Karami
• Kolsom Abazari

University of Tabriz

10.22067/geoeh.2024.85638.1436

Abstract

One of the most important solutions for the principled and correct management of water and soil in basins is to use of hydrological models for simulation of rainfall-runoff processes, which estimate and predict the components of the water balance, including runoff, evaporation, transpiration, and infiltration, especially in basins without data. or has incomplete data . In this study, the water balance of Ojan chai basin was simulated by SWAT semi-distributed and SMAR models for 20 years (2002-2021). SUFI-2 algorithm was used in SWAT model and genetic algorithm optimizer was used in SMAR model for calibration (2005 to 2016) and validation (2017 to 2021). The simulation results in the calibration with the objective functions of the Nash Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), coefficient of determination〖(R)〗^2 and RSR equal to 0.80, 0.81 and 0.45, and for validation, 0.74, 0.75 and .0.51. which indicates the high efficiency of the model in simulating the water balance. And in the SMAR method, the Nash-Sutcliffe coefficients (NSE), R^2, were obtained in calibration 0.60, 0.56 and in validation 0.625, 0.67. Both of these models perform better in simulating the baseflow and average flow rates than the maximum flow rates, however, the matching of the simulated flow rate with the observed flow rate in the SWAT model is superior to the SMAR model, which is due to the consideration of spatial changes in this type of models. Considering the very good performance results of the models, it is suggested to be used in watershed protection measures and water and soil management.

Keywords

• runoff simulation
• SUFI-2 Algorithm
• Genetic Algorithm
• Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency
• Coefficient of determination

Main Subjects

• Geomorphic-hydrological hazards

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