A wavelet-based approach to streamflow event identification  and modeled timing error evaluation

Towler, Erin; McCreight, James L.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2599-2021

Articles | Volume 25, issue 5

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2599-2021

© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2599-2021

© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 25, issue 5

Research article

|

19 May 2021

Research article |

| 19 May 2021

A wavelet-based approach to streamflow event identification and modeled timing error evaluation

Erin Towler and James L. McCreight

Model code and software

WRF-Hydro® v5.1.1 D. Gochis, M. Barlage, R. Cabell, A. Dugger, A. Fanfarillo, K. FitzGerald, M. McAllister, J. McCreight, A. RafieeiNasab, L. Read, N. Frazier, D. Johnson, J. D. Mattern, L. Karsten, T. J. Mills, and B. Fersch https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3625238

NCAR/wavelet_timing: Publication (Version v0.0.1) J. L. McCreight https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4746587

NCAR/rwrfhydro: wavelet timing tag (Version v1.0.1) J. L. McCreight, T. J. Mills, A. Rafieeinasab, K. FitzGerald, L. Reads, C. Hoover, D. W. Johnson, E. Towler, Y.-F. Huang, A. Dugger, and J. Nowosad https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4746607

Short summary

We present a wavelet-based approach to quantify streamflow timing errors for model evaluation and development. We demonstrate the method using real and simulated stream discharge data from several locations. We show how results can be used to identify potential hydrologic processes contributing to the timing errors. Furthermore, we illustrate how the method can document model performance by comparing timing errors across versions of the National Water Model.