Articles | Volume 21, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4907-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4907-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
28 Sep 2017
Research article |
| 28 Sep 2017
Improving SWAT model performance in the upper Blue Nile Basin using meteorological data integration and subcatchment discretization
Erwin Isaac Polanco
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Chair of Hydrology and River Basin Management, Faculty of Civil, Geo and Environmental Engineering, Technische Universität München, Arcisstrasse 21, 80333 Munich, Germany
Amr Fleifle
Chair of Hydrology and River Basin Management, Faculty of Civil, Geo and Environmental Engineering, Technische Universität München, Arcisstrasse 21, 80333 Munich, Germany
Irrigation Engineering and Hydraulics Department, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, El-Horia St., 21544 Alexandria, Egypt
Ralf Ludwig
Chair of Geography and Geographic Remote Sensing, Faculty of Geography, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Luisenstrasse 37, 80333 Munich, Germany
Markus Disse
Chair of Hydrology and River Basin Management, Faculty of Civil, Geo and Environmental Engineering, Technische Universität München, Arcisstrasse 21, 80333 Munich, Germany
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30 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Future Climate Change Impact on the Nyabugogo Catchment Water Balance in Rwanda A. Umugwaneza et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13243636
- Hydrological Responses to Land Use/Land Cover Changes in Koga Watershed, Upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia H. Ayele et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/geographies3010004
- Potential assessment of calibration approaches using the SWAT hydrological model for streamflow and sediment yield for a large-scale catchment W. Manawko Tefera & K. Kasiviswanathan https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2023.2243463
- Impacts of Climate and Land Use Change on Hydrological Response in Gumara Watershed, Ethiopia A. Teklay et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecohyd.2020.12.001
- Analysis of combined and isolated effects of land-use and land-cover changes and climate change on the upper Blue Nile River basin's streamflow D. Mekonnen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6187-2018
- Abacus to Predict Groundwater Recharge at Non-Instrumented Hydrographic Basins R. Santos et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12113090
- Optimal selection of cost-effective biological runoff management scenarios at watershed scale using SWAT-GA tool A. Golpaygani et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2023.101489
- Effects of land use/land cover change on hydrological responses of a watershed in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia K. Besha et al. https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2024.042
- Hydrological modeling using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool in urban and peri-urban environments: the case of Kifisos experimental subbasin (Athens, Greece) E. Koltsida et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-917-2023
- Hydrological modeling in the Upper Blue Nile basin using soil and water analysis tool (SWAT) G. Takele et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-021-01085-9
- Can We Calibrate a Daily Time-Step Hydrological Model Using Monthly Time-Step Discharge Data? S. Adla et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11091750
- Analysis of Hydrological Characteristics of Blue Nile Basin, Nashe Watershed M. Leta et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/app112411791
- Hydrological simulation using the SWAT model in a semi-arid region in the southern part of Zacatecas, Mexico M. Hernández-Marín et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-024-11837-2
- Hybrid GR4J-LSTM modeling for streamflow prediction of extreme events in data-scarce regions: Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia T. Mihret et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102977
- Modeling the spatial and temporal availability of water resources potential over Abbay river basin, Ethiopia A. Alemu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2022.101280
- Improving daily streamflow prediction using a coupled SWAT-MLP model: A case study of the Gilgel Abay watershed, Ethiopia S. Taye et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2026.106081
- Statistical downscaling of climate variables for local forecasts and applications to improve climate change prediction in upper Blue Nile Basin A. Bulti & G. Yutura https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2025.103867
- Improving spatio-temporal precipitation estimates in data scarce river basins: an application of machine learning-based multi-source data merging J. Mohammed et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00477-022-02346-4
- Simulation of regional irrigation requirement with SWAT in different agro-climatic zones driven by observed climate and two reanalysis datasets B. Uniyal et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.248
- Trends and climate change analysis for common climate variables in Gelgel Belese Watershed, Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia K. Shitu et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-023-04568-0
- Climate change impact on water resources in Klong Yai River Basin, Thailand C. Ekkawatpanit et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-383-355-2020
- Assessment of soil erosion risk in a semi-arid climate watershed using SWAT model: case of Tata basin, South-East of Morocco F. Echogdali et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-022-01664-w
- Inferring reservoir filling strategies under limited-data-availability conditions using hydrological modeling and Earth observations: the case of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) A. Ali et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-4057-2023
- Assessing the Impact of Man–Made Ponds on Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport in Limnological Basins M. Al Sayah et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11122526
- To What Extent Is Hydrologic Connectivity Taken into Account in Catchment Studies in the Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia? A Review A. Astuti et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122165
- Simulating Flash Floods at Hourly Time-Step Using the SWAT Model L. Boithias et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w9120929
- Hydrological Responses to Land Use Land Cover Changes in the Fincha’a Watershed, Ethiopia U. Kenea et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10090916
- An approach to revising the climate forecast system reanalysis rainfall data in a sparsely-gauged mountain basin Z. Yu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2019.01.014
- Evaluation of satellite-based rainfall estimates in the upper Blue Nile basin T. Gado et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-023-02235-6
- Comparison and hydrological evaluation of different precipitation data for a large tropical region: the Blue Nile Basin in Ethiopia M. Zargar et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2025.1536881
30 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Future Climate Change Impact on the Nyabugogo Catchment Water Balance in Rwanda A. Umugwaneza et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13243636
- Hydrological Responses to Land Use/Land Cover Changes in Koga Watershed, Upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia H. Ayele et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/geographies3010004
- Potential assessment of calibration approaches using the SWAT hydrological model for streamflow and sediment yield for a large-scale catchment W. Manawko Tefera & K. Kasiviswanathan https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2023.2243463
- Impacts of Climate and Land Use Change on Hydrological Response in Gumara Watershed, Ethiopia A. Teklay et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecohyd.2020.12.001
- Analysis of combined and isolated effects of land-use and land-cover changes and climate change on the upper Blue Nile River basin's streamflow D. Mekonnen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6187-2018
- Abacus to Predict Groundwater Recharge at Non-Instrumented Hydrographic Basins R. Santos et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12113090
- Optimal selection of cost-effective biological runoff management scenarios at watershed scale using SWAT-GA tool A. Golpaygani et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2023.101489
- Effects of land use/land cover change on hydrological responses of a watershed in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia K. Besha et al. https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2024.042
- Hydrological modeling using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool in urban and peri-urban environments: the case of Kifisos experimental subbasin (Athens, Greece) E. Koltsida et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-917-2023
- Hydrological modeling in the Upper Blue Nile basin using soil and water analysis tool (SWAT) G. Takele et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-021-01085-9
- Can We Calibrate a Daily Time-Step Hydrological Model Using Monthly Time-Step Discharge Data? S. Adla et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11091750
- Analysis of Hydrological Characteristics of Blue Nile Basin, Nashe Watershed M. Leta et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/app112411791
- Hydrological simulation using the SWAT model in a semi-arid region in the southern part of Zacatecas, Mexico M. Hernández-Marín et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-024-11837-2
- Hybrid GR4J-LSTM modeling for streamflow prediction of extreme events in data-scarce regions: Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia T. Mihret et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102977
- Modeling the spatial and temporal availability of water resources potential over Abbay river basin, Ethiopia A. Alemu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2022.101280
- Improving daily streamflow prediction using a coupled SWAT-MLP model: A case study of the Gilgel Abay watershed, Ethiopia S. Taye et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2026.106081
- Statistical downscaling of climate variables for local forecasts and applications to improve climate change prediction in upper Blue Nile Basin A. Bulti & G. Yutura https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2025.103867
- Improving spatio-temporal precipitation estimates in data scarce river basins: an application of machine learning-based multi-source data merging J. Mohammed et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00477-022-02346-4
- Simulation of regional irrigation requirement with SWAT in different agro-climatic zones driven by observed climate and two reanalysis datasets B. Uniyal et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.248
- Trends and climate change analysis for common climate variables in Gelgel Belese Watershed, Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia K. Shitu et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-023-04568-0
- Climate change impact on water resources in Klong Yai River Basin, Thailand C. Ekkawatpanit et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-383-355-2020
- Assessment of soil erosion risk in a semi-arid climate watershed using SWAT model: case of Tata basin, South-East of Morocco F. Echogdali et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-022-01664-w
- Inferring reservoir filling strategies under limited-data-availability conditions using hydrological modeling and Earth observations: the case of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) A. Ali et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-4057-2023
- Assessing the Impact of Man–Made Ponds on Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport in Limnological Basins M. Al Sayah et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11122526
- To What Extent Is Hydrologic Connectivity Taken into Account in Catchment Studies in the Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia? A Review A. Astuti et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122165
- Simulating Flash Floods at Hourly Time-Step Using the SWAT Model L. Boithias et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w9120929
- Hydrological Responses to Land Use Land Cover Changes in the Fincha’a Watershed, Ethiopia U. Kenea et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10090916
- An approach to revising the climate forecast system reanalysis rainfall data in a sparsely-gauged mountain basin Z. Yu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2019.01.014
- Evaluation of satellite-based rainfall estimates in the upper Blue Nile basin T. Gado et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-023-02235-6
- Comparison and hydrological evaluation of different precipitation data for a large tropical region: the Blue Nile Basin in Ethiopia M. Zargar et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2025.1536881
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 23 Oct 2026
Short summary
In this research, SWAT was used to model the upper Blue Nile Basin where comparisons between ground and CFSR data were done. Furthermore, this paper introduced the SWAT error index (SEI), an additional tool to measure the level of error of hydrological models. This work proposed an approach or methodology that can effectively be followed to create better and more efficient hydrological models.
In this research, SWAT was used to model the upper Blue Nile Basin where comparisons between...
