An approach to the scaling problem in hydrological modelling: the deterministic modelling hydrological system

Abstract

Abstract:A brief description of the Deterministic Modelling Hydrological System (DMHS) 'Runoff-Erosion-Pollution' proposed by the first author is presented. This system is being developed with the aim of giving it a universal character so that it can be applied in mountainous and flat terrain, and in basins of different natural climatic zones regardless of their size. The main feature of the model is its independence of the scaling problem. The basis of our approach consists of a simple theory of runoff elements. This is different from the generally accepted use of partial differential equations such as the Saint Venant equation for surface and channel flow and the Boussinesq equation for underground waters describing the water movement from runoff formation origins to the basin outlet. The results of runoff simulation for six mountainous watersheds of different sizes across Eastern Siberia within the Lena River basin and their statistical evaluation are presented. The selected river basins ranged in size from about 40 km 2 (small scale) to the entire Lena River basin (2Ð4 million km 2 ), classified as a large-scale basin.

HESS Opinions: The complementary merits of competing modelling philosophies in hydrology

“…This then has the potential to enhance our understanding of what controls catchment functioning and our ability to develop models (e.g. Vinogradov et al, 2011).…”

Evaluating extreme flood characteristics of small mountainous basins of the Black Sea coastal area, Northern Caucasus

“…In our study, we use deterministic-stochastic (DS) modelling approach which implies joint application of deterministic hydrological model and stochastic weather model (SWM). Distributed hydrological model Hydrograph (Vinogradov, 1988;Vinogradov et al, 2011) describes runoff formation processes at a watershed in different landscape and climate zones based on physical principles. Daily values of air temperature and humidity, precipitation sum and duration are used as meteorological input.…”

Estimation of hydrological response of a small Mediterranean watershed to fire by data analysis and a modelling approach

“…The process-based hydrological model Hydrograph with observable parameters (Vinogradov et al 2011, Semenova et al 2013) was applied in the study. It is a distributed model of runoff generation processes describing all essential components of the land hydrological cycle including precipitation interception; thermo-dynamic modelling of snow accumulation and melt; representation of soil and vegetation cover and evapotranspiration; surface flow and infiltration; soil water dynamics; heat dynamics and phase change in soil layers; subsurface flow, hillslope and channel flow and routing.…”

“…The model concepts and approaches were verified at numerous basins in Russia, USA, Europe and Canada (Lebedeva and Semenova 2011, Vinogradov et al 2011, Semenova et al 2013.…”

“…Seasonal shadow fraction by vegetation was assumed to be 0.3 m 2 m -2 , interception storage capacity 2 mm, landscape albedo 0.2 and coefficient of evaporation 0.3 × 10 -8 hPa s. Only general information was available about the watershed geology. The underground flow was assumed to be produced by four storages: the underground runoff elements with characteristic outflow time from one day to one month (Vinogradov et al 2011). The share of contribution of each layer to total underground flow decreases from 0.4 to 0.1 from upper (fastest) to lower (slowest).…”