DISTRIBUTED HYDROLOGIC MODELING FOR OPERATIONAL USE

United States

Sponsors: NOAA
StartDate: 08/2000
PI/Co-PIs: Dr. Georgakakos, PI

The science question motivating this research effort is: What is the behavior of the forecast uncertainty in flow simulations from distributed hydrologic models using present-day operational data, including WSR-88D rainfall estimates, and elevation, soils and land cover spatial databases? Particular emphasis is placed on unveiling scale dependence. The conjugate operational hydrology questions addressed are: What are the properties of ensemble flow forecasts by distributed models? and What are the benefits of using distributed models versus lumped models in operational hydrologic forecasting? In particular we wish to know: (a) whether the simulation results of distributed and lumped models are distinguishable on flow-observation scales given the model-parameter and model-input uncertainties; and (b) the conditions under which the distributed model simulations are superior.