Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
HESS
Articles | Volume 20, issue 1
Articles | Volume 20, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-479-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Special issue:
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-479-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Articles | Volume 20, issue 1
Research article
 | Highlight paper
 | 
28 Jan 2016
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 28 Jan 2016

Does the Budyko curve reflect a maximum-power state of hydrological systems? A backward analysis

M. Westhoff, E. Zehe, P. Archambeau, and B. Dewals

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Short summary
We derived mathematical formulations of relations between relative wetness and gradients driving run-off and evaporation for a one-box model such that, when conductances are optimized with the maximum power principle, the model leads exactly to a point on the Budyko curve. With dry spells and dynamics in actual evaporation added, the model compared well with catchment observations without calibrating any parameter. The maximum-power principle may thus be used to derive the Budyko curve.
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