Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4580024 Journal of Hydrology 2007 12 Pages PDF
Abstract
Predicting runoff and drainage from landscapes and correlating these with stream flow can be a powerful watershed management tool. We examined the feasibility of using runoff and drainage output of a simple soil-vegetation-atmosphere (SVAT) model as a predictor of monthly and daily changes in measured stream flow. Six watersheds in the eastern US were analyzed, located from approximately 35°N to 43°N. They ranged in area from 23 to 2463 km2 and were 35-65% forested. The SVAT model was parameterized with weather, soils and phenological data largely obtained from a secondary school in each watershed that is participating in the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program. This program is a United States government science education effort promoting scientific inquiry in grades K-12 by providing protocols for collecting environmental data. Monthly measured stream flow and simulated runoff + drainage over a one year period were normalized to the largest value in that period and were compared using linear regression. Simulated monthly runoff + drainage explained between 37% and 76% of the variability in monthly stream flow. Changes in daily simulated runoff + drainage and measured stream flow depended on the simulated volumetric soil water content (θv). At low θv, large precipitation events (>20 mm) did not result in increased daily simulated runoff + drainage or measured stream flow. At high or saturating θv, large precipitation events resulted in increased daily simulated runoff + drainage followed by increased measured stream flow within two days.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Earth and Planetary Sciences Earth-Surface Processes
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