Articles | Volume 26, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-975-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-975-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
21 Feb 2022
Research article |
| 21 Feb 2022
| 21 Feb 2022
Remote sensing-aided rainfall–runoff modeling in the tropics of Costa Rica
Saúl Arciniega-Esparza
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Hydrogeology Group, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad Nacional
Autónoma de México, Mexico City, 04510, Mexico
Christian Birkel
Department of Geography and Water and Global Change Observatory,
University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
Northern Rivers Institute, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen,
Scotland
Andrés Chavarría-Palma
Department of Geography and Water and Global Change Observatory,
University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
Berit Arheimer
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Norrköping,
Sweden
José Agustín Breña-Naranjo
Institute of Engineering, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de
México, Mexico City, Mexico
Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua, Jiutepec, Morelos,
Mexico
Related authors
Peter A. Troch, Ravindra Dwivedi, Tao Liu, Antonio Alves Meira Neto, Tirthankar Roy, Rodrigo Valdés-Pineda, Matej Durcik, Saúl Arciniega-Esparza, and José Agustín Breña-Naranjo
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2018-449, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2018-449, 2018
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Recharge to bedrock aquifers is an important source of water availability and sustains streamflow during long dry periods. It is therefore an important component in the catchment water balance that sustains aquatic ecosystems. Our study shows that it is possible to predict average recharge rates at the catchment scale using only climate and landscape properties. This is an important finding as it is notoriously difficult to measure and/or estimate recharge rates at large spatial scales.
Ann-Marie Ring, Dörthe Tetzlaff, Christian Birkel, and Chris Soulsby
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1444, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1444, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (HESS).
Short summary
Short summary
During summer drought, a clear sub-daily cycling of atmospheric water vapour isotopes (δv) and plant xylem water isotopes (δxyl) was observed. δv daytime depletion was driven by evaporation and local atmospheric factors (entrainment). δxyl daytime enrichment was consistent with limited sap flow and stomatal regulation of transpiration. Water limitations during drought in urban trees are visible in δxyl and ecohydrological data. This sub-daily dataset can help constrain ecohydrological models.
Maria Elenius, Charlotta Pers, Sara Schützer, and Berit Arheimer
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-271, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-271, 2024
Revised manuscript under review for HESS
Short summary
Short summary
Simulations of peatland rewetting in Sweden under various conditions of climate, local hydrology and rewetting practices showed insubstantial changes in landscape flow extremes due to mixing with runoff from various landcover. The impact on local hydrological extremes are governed by groundwater levels prior to rewetting and reduced tree cover, hence wetland allocation and management practices are crucial if the purpose is to reduce flow extremes in peatland streams.
Alban de Lavenne, Vazken Andréassian, Louise Crochemore, Göran Lindström, and Berit Arheimer
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2715–2732, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2715-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2715-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A watershed remembers the past to some extent, and this memory influences its behavior. This memory is defined by the ability to store past rainfall for several years. By releasing this water into the river or the atmosphere, it tends to forget. We describe how this memory fades over time in France and Sweden. A few watersheds show a multi-year memory. It increases with the influence of groundwater or dry conditions. After 3 or 4 years, they behave independently of the past.
Aaron J. Neill, Christian Birkel, Marco P. Maneta, Doerthe Tetzlaff, and Chris Soulsby
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 4861–4886, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4861-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4861-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Structural changes (cover and height of vegetation plus tree canopy characteristics) to forests during regeneration on degraded land affect how water is partitioned between streamflow, groundwater recharge and evapotranspiration. Partitioning most strongly deviates from baseline conditions during earlier stages of regeneration with dense forest, while recovery may be possible as the forest matures and opens out. This has consequences for informing sustainable landscape restoration strategies.
Alexandra Nauditt, Kerstin Stahl, Erasmo Rodríguez, Christian Birkel, Rosa Maria Formiga-Johnsson, Kallio Marko, Hamish Hann, Lars Ribbe, Oscar M. Baez-Villanueva, and Joschka Thurner
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-2020-360, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-2020-360, 2020
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Recurrent droughts are causing severe damages to tropical countries. We used gridded drought hazard and vulnerability data sets to map drought risk in four mesoscale rural tropical study regions in Latin America and Vietnam/Cambodia. Our risk maps clearly identified drought risk hotspots and displayed spatial and sector-wise distribution of hazard and vulnerability. As results were confirmed by local stakeholders our approach provides relevant information for drought managers in the Tropics.
Laura Balzer, Katrin Schulz, Christian Birkel, and Harald Biester
SOIL Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2020-20, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2020-20, 2020
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Berit Arheimer, Rafael Pimentel, Kristina Isberg, Louise Crochemore, Jafet C. M. Andersson, Abdulghani Hasan, and Luis Pineda
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 535–559, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-535-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-535-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
How far can we reach in predicting river flow globally, using integrated catchment modelling and open global data? For the first time, a catchment model was applied world-wide, covering the entire globe with a relatively high resolution. The results show that stepwise calibration provided better performance than traditional modelling of the globe. The study highlights that open data and models are crucial to advance hydrological sciences by sharing knowledge and enabling transparent evaluation.
Alicia Correa, Diego Ochoa-Tocachi, and Christian Birkel
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 5059–5068, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-5059-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-5059-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The applications and availability of large tracer data sets have vastly increased in recent years leading to research into the contributions of multiple sources to a mixture. We introduce a method based on Taylor series approximation to estimate the uncertainties of such sources' contributions. The method is illustrated with examples of hydrology (14 tracers) and a MATLAB code is provided for reproducibility. This method can be generalized to any number of tracers across a range of disciplines.
Theano Iliopoulou, Cristina Aguilar, Berit Arheimer, María Bermúdez, Nejc Bezak, Andrea Ficchì, Demetris Koutsoyiannis, Juraj Parajka, María José Polo, Guillaume Thirel, and Alberto Montanari
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 73–91, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-73-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-73-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate the seasonal memory properties of a large sample of European rivers in terms of high and low flows. We compute seasonal correlations between peak and low flows and average flows in the previous seasons and explore the links with various physiographic and hydro-climatic catchment descriptors. Our findings suggest that there is a traceable physical basis for river memory which in turn can be employed to reduce uncertainty and improve probabilistic predictions of floods and droughts.
Peter A. Troch, Ravindra Dwivedi, Tao Liu, Antonio Alves Meira Neto, Tirthankar Roy, Rodrigo Valdés-Pineda, Matej Durcik, Saúl Arciniega-Esparza, and José Agustín Breña-Naranjo
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2018-449, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2018-449, 2018
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Recharge to bedrock aquifers is an important source of water availability and sustains streamflow during long dry periods. It is therefore an important component in the catchment water balance that sustains aquatic ecosystems. Our study shows that it is possible to predict average recharge rates at the catchment scale using only climate and landscape properties. This is an important finding as it is notoriously difficult to measure and/or estimate recharge rates at large spatial scales.
Alessio Pugliese, Simone Persiano, Stefano Bagli, Paolo Mazzoli, Juraj Parajka, Berit Arheimer, René Capell, Alberto Montanari, Günter Blöschl, and Attilio Castellarin
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 4633–4648, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-4633-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-4633-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This research work focuses on the development of an innovative method for enhancing the predictive capability of macro-scale rainfall–runoff models by means of a geostatistical apporach. In our method, one can get enhanced streamflow simulations without any further model calibration. Indeed, this method is neither computational nor data-intensive and is implemented only using observed streamflow data and a GIS vector layer with catchment boundaries. Assessments are performed in the Tyrol region.
Rafael Pimentel and Berit Arheimer
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2018-387, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2018-387, 2018
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
The Västmanland wildfire, Sweden, burned 14 000 hectares and removed the Boreal forest in this area during the summer 2014. This empirical study evaluates the hydrological effects of this wildfire. A paired catchment methodology is used to evaluate 23 catchment characteristics of flow and physiography defined using in situ and remote sensing data. The results show a change in the snow dynamics over the burnt areas with shorter duration of the snow season and a higher stream flow during autumn.
Fernando Jaramillo, Neil Cory, Berit Arheimer, Hjalmar Laudon, Ype van der Velde, Thomas B. Hasper, Claudia Teutschbein, and Johan Uddling
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 567–580, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-567-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-567-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Which is the dominant effect on evapotranspiration in northern forests, an increase by recent forests expansion or a decrease by the water use response due to increasing CO2 concentrations? We determined the dominant effect during the period 1961–2012 in 65 Swedish basins. We used the Budyko framework to study the hydroclimatic movements in Budyko space. Our findings suggest that forest expansion is the dominant driver of long-term and large-scale evapotranspiration changes.
Anna Kuentz, Berit Arheimer, Yeshewatesfa Hundecha, and Thorsten Wagener
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 2863–2879, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-2863-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-2863-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Our study aims to explore and understand the physical controls on spatial patterns of pan-European flow signatures by taking advantage of large open datasets. Using tools like correlation analysis, stepwise regressions and different types of catchment classifications, we explore the relationships between catchment descriptors and flow signatures across 35 215 catchments which cover a wide range of pan-European physiographic and anthropogenic characteristics.
Remko Nijzink, Christopher Hutton, Ilias Pechlivanidis, René Capell, Berit Arheimer, Jim Freer, Dawei Han, Thorsten Wagener, Kevin McGuire, Hubert Savenije, and Markus Hrachowitz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 4775–4799, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-4775-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-4775-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The core component of many hydrological systems, the moisture storage capacity available to vegetation, is typically treated as a calibration parameter in hydrological models and often considered to remain constant in time. In this paper we test the potential of a recently introduced method to robustly estimate catchment-scale root-zone storage capacities exclusively based on climate data to reproduce the temporal evolution of root-zone storage under change (deforestation).
I. G. Pechlivanidis and B. Arheimer
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 4559–4579, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4559-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4559-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We modify the recommendations for flow predictions in ungauged catchments to address the challenges at the large scale. We use examples from the HYPE hydrological model set-up across 6000 subbasins for the Indian subcontinent. Multi-basin modelling reveals the spatial patterns of catchment functioning and dominant flow processes across the hydroclimatic gradient. The model set-up procedure according to the PUB recommendations brought insights into where the single model structure is inadequate.
J. Hall, B. Arheimer, G. T. Aronica, A. Bilibashi, M. Boháč, O. Bonacci, M. Borga, P. Burlando, A. Castellarin, G. B. Chirico, P. Claps, K. Fiala, L. Gaál, L. Gorbachova, A. Gül, J. Hannaford, A. Kiss, T. Kjeldsen, S. Kohnová, J. J. Koskela, N. Macdonald, M. Mavrova-Guirguinova, O. Ledvinka, L. Mediero, B. Merz, R. Merz, P. Molnar, A. Montanari, M. Osuch, J. Parajka, R. A. P. Perdigão, I. Radevski, B. Renard, M. Rogger, J. L. Salinas, E. Sauquet, M. Šraj, J. Szolgay, A. Viglione, E. Volpi, D. Wilson, K. Zaimi, and G. Blöschl
Proc. IAHS, 370, 89–95, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-370-89-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-370-89-2015, 2015
S. Ceola, B. Arheimer, E. Baratti, G. Blöschl, R. Capell, A. Castellarin, J. Freer, D. Han, M. Hrachowitz, Y. Hundecha, C. Hutton, G. Lindström, A. Montanari, R. Nijzink, J. Parajka, E. Toth, A. Viglione, and T. Wagener
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2101–2117, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2101-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2101-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We present the outcomes of a collaborative hydrological experiment undertaken by five different international research groups in a virtual laboratory. Moving from the definition of accurate protocols, a rainfall-runoff model was independently applied by the research groups, which then engaged in a comparative discussion. The results revealed that sharing protocols and running the experiment within a controlled environment is fundamental for ensuring experiment repeatability and reproducibility.
B. Arheimer and G. Lindström
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 771–784, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-771-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-771-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Is the occurrence of floods changing in frequency or magnitude? We have analyzed 100 years of observed time series from 69 gauging sites and high-resolution modeling of climate change impact across Sweden for 140 years. The results indicate no significant trend in high flows in the past but some shifts in flood-generating processes at present and in the future. Rain-generated floods may have a more marked effect, and some specific rivers may be more affected by climate change than others.
J. Hall, B. Arheimer, M. Borga, R. Brázdil, P. Claps, A. Kiss, T. R. Kjeldsen, J. Kriaučiūnienė, Z. W. Kundzewicz, M. Lang, M. C. Llasat, N. Macdonald, N. McIntyre, L. Mediero, B. Merz, R. Merz, P. Molnar, A. Montanari, C. Neuhold, J. Parajka, R. A. P. Perdigão, L. Plavcová, M. Rogger, J. L. Salinas, E. Sauquet, C. Schär, J. Szolgay, A. Viglione, and G. Blöschl
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 2735–2772, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2735-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2735-2014, 2014
Related subject area
Subject: Catchment hydrology | Techniques and Approaches: Modelling approaches
Catchments do not strictly follow Budyko curves over multiple decades, but deviations are minor and predictable
Scale dependency in modeling nivo-glacial hydrological systems: the case of the Arolla basin, Switzerland
Extended-range forecasting of stream water temperature with deep-learning models
Technical note: An approach for handling multiple temporal frequencies with different input dimensions using a single LSTM cell
Projections of streamflow intermittence under climate change in European drying river networks
Economic valuation of subsurface water contributions to watershed ecosystem services using a fully integrated groundwater–surface-water model
Analyzing the generalization capabilities of a hybrid hydrological model for extrapolation to extreme events
CH-RUN: a deep-learning-based spatially contiguous runoff reconstruction for Switzerland
Runoff component quantification and future streamflow projection in a large mountainous basin based on a multidata-constrained cryospheric–hydrological model
Exploring the potential processes controlling changes in precipitation–runoff relationships in non-stationary environments
A diversity-centric strategy for the selection of spatio-temporal training data for LSTM-based streamflow forecasting
Simulating the Tone River eastward diversion project in Japan carried out 4 centuries ago
Lack of robustness of hydrological models: a large-sample diagnosis and an attempt to identify hydrological and climatic drivers
Achieving water budget closure through physical hydrological process modelling: insights from a large-sample study
Heavy-tailed flood peak distributions: what is the effect of the spatial variability of rainfall and runoff generation?
State updating of the Xin'anjiang model: joint assimilating streamflow and multi-source soil moisture data via the asynchronous ensemble Kalman filter with enhanced error models
Improving the hydrological consistency of a process-based solute-transport model by simultaneous calibration of streamflow and stream concentrations
Leveraging a time-series event separation method to disentangle time-varying hydrologic controls on streamflow – application to wildfire-affected catchments
The significance of the leaf area index for evapotranspiration estimation in SWAT-T for characteristic land cover types of West Africa
Improved representation of soil moisture processes through incorporation of cosmic-ray neutron count measurements in a large-scale hydrologic model
Spatio-temporal patterns and trends of streamflow in water-scarce Mediterranean basins
A large-sample modelling approach towards integrating streamflow and evaporation data for the Spanish catchments
Seasonal variation in land cover estimates reveals sensitivities and opportunities for environmental models
Estimating response times, flow velocities, and roughness coefficients of Canadian Prairie basins
Learning landscape features from streamflow with autoencoders
On the use of streamflow transformations for hydrological model calibration
Simulation-based inference for parameter estimation of complex watershed simulators
Multi-scale soil moisture data and process-based modeling reveal the importance of lateral groundwater flow in a subarctic catchment
CONCN: A high-resolution, integrated surface water-groundwater ParFlow modeling platform of continental China
Catchment response to climatic variability: implications for root zone storage and streamflow predictions
Hybrid hydrological modeling for large alpine basins: a semi-distributed approach
Technical note: How many models do we need to simulate hydrologic processes across large geographical domains?
Karst aquifer discharge response to rainfall interpreted as anomalous transport
HESS Opinions: Never train a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network on a single basin
Large-sample hydrology – a few camels or a whole caravan?
Comment on “Are soils overrated in hydrology?” by Gao et al. (2023)
Multi-decadal fluctuations in root zone storage capacity through vegetation adaptation to hydro-climatic variability have minor effects on the hydrological response in the Neckar River basin, Germany
Technical note: What does the Standardized Streamflow Index actually reflect? Insights and implications for hydrological drought analysis
Projected future changes in the cryosphere and hydrology of a mountainous catchment in the upper Heihe River, China
On the importance of plant phenology in the evaporative process of a semi-arid woodland: could it be why satellite-based evaporation estimates in the miombo differ?
Assessing the adequacy of traditional hydrological models for climate change impact studies: A case for long-short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks
Regionalization of GR4J model parameters for river flow prediction in Paraná, Brazil
Evolution of river regimes in the Mekong River basin over 8 decades and the role of dams in recent hydrological extremes
Skill of seasonal flow forecasts at catchment scale: an assessment across South Korea
To what extent do flood-inducing storm events change future flood hazards?
When ancient numerical demons meet physics-informed machine learning: adjoint-based gradients for implicit differentiable modeling
Assessing the value of high-resolution rainfall and streamflow data for hydrological modeling: An analysis based on 63 catchments in southeast China
Assessing the impact of climate change on high return levels of peak flows in Bavaria applying the CRCM5 large ensemble
Impacts of climate and land surface change on catchment evapotranspiration and runoff from 1951 to 2020 in Saxony, Germany
Quantifying and reducing flood forecast uncertainty by the CHUP-BMA method
Muhammad Ibrahim, Miriam Coenders-Gerrits, Ruud van der Ent, and Markus Hrachowitz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1703–1723, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1703-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1703-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The quantification of precipitation into evaporation and runoff is vital for water resources management. The Budyko framework, based on aridity and evaporative indices of a catchment, can be an ideal tool for that. However, recent research highlights deviations of catchments from the expected evaporative index, casting doubt on its reliability. This study quantifies deviations of 2387 catchments, finding them minor and predictable. Integrating these into predictions upholds the framework's efficacy.
Anne-Laure Argentin, Pascal Horton, Bettina Schaefli, Jamal Shokory, Felix Pitscheider, Leona Repnik, Mattia Gianini, Simone Bizzi, Stuart N. Lane, and Francesco Comiti
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1725–1748, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1725-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1725-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
In this article, we show that by taking the optimal parameters calibrated with a semi-lumped model for the discharge at a catchment's outlet, we can accurately simulate runoff at various points within the study area, including three nested and three neighboring catchments. In addition, we demonstrate that employing more intricate melt models, which better represent physical processes, enhances the transfer of parameters in the simulation, until we observe overparameterization.
Ryan S. Padrón, Massimiliano Zappa, Luzi Bernhard, and Konrad Bogner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1685–1702, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1685-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1685-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We generate operational forecasts of daily maximum stream water temperature for 32 consecutive days at 54 stations in Switzerland with our best-performing data-driven model. The average forecast error is 0.38 °C for 1 d ahead and increases to 0.90 °C for 32 d ahead given the uncertainty in the meteorological variables influencing water temperature. Here we compare the skill of several models, how well they can forecast at new and ungauged stations, and the importance of different model inputs.
Eduardo Acuña Espinoza, Frederik Kratzert, Daniel Klotz, Martin Gauch, Manuel Álvarez Chaves, Ralf Loritz, and Uwe Ehret
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1749–1758, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1749-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1749-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Long short-term memory (LSTM) networks have demonstrated state-of-the-art performance for rainfall-runoff hydrological modelling. However, most studies focus on predictions at a daily scale, limiting the benefits of sub-daily (e.g. hourly) predictions in applications like flood forecasting. In this study, we introduce a new architecture, multi-frequency LSTM (MF-LSTM), designed to use inputs of various temporal frequencies to produce sub-daily (e.g. hourly) predictions at a moderate computational cost.
Louise Mimeau, Annika Künne, Alexandre Devers, Flora Branger, Sven Kralisch, Claire Lauvernet, Jean-Philippe Vidal, Núria Bonada, Zoltán Csabai, Heikki Mykrä, Petr Pařil, Luka Polović, and Thibault Datry
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1615–1636, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1615-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1615-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our study projects how climate change will affect the drying of river segments and stream networks in Europe, using advanced modelling techniques to assess changes in six river networks across diverse ecoregions. We found that drying events will become more frequent and intense and will start earlier or last longer, potentially turning some river sections from perennial to intermittent. The results are valuable for river ecologists for evaluating the ecological health of river ecosystem.
Tariq Aziz, Steven K. Frey, David R. Lapen, Susan Preston, Hazen A. J. Russell, Omar Khader, Andre R. Erler, and Edward A. Sudicky
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1549–1568, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1549-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1549-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study determines the value of subsurface water for ecosystem services' supply in an agricultural watershed in Ontario, Canada. Using a fully integrated water model and an economic valuation approach, the research highlights subsurface water's critical role in maintaining watershed ecosystem services. The study informs on the sustainable use of subsurface water and introduces a new method for managing watershed ecosystem services.
Eduardo Acuña Espinoza, Ralf Loritz, Frederik Kratzert, Daniel Klotz, Martin Gauch, Manuel Álvarez Chaves, and Uwe Ehret
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1277–1294, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1277-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1277-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Data-driven techniques have shown the potential to outperform process-based models in rainfall–runoff simulations. Hybrid models, combining both approaches, aim to enhance accuracy and maintain interpretability. Expanding the set of test cases to evaluate hybrid models under different conditions, we test their generalization capabilities for extreme hydrological events.
Basil Kraft, Michael Schirmer, William H. Aeberhard, Massimiliano Zappa, Sonia I. Seneviratne, and Lukas Gudmundsson
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1061–1082, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1061-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1061-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study reconstructs daily runoff in Switzerland (1962–2023) using a deep-learning model, providing a spatially contiguous dataset on a medium-sized catchment grid. The model outperforms traditional hydrological methods, revealing shifts in Swiss water resources, including more frequent dry years and declining summer runoff. The reconstruction is publicly available.
Mengjiao Zhang, Yi Nan, and Fuqiang Tian
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1033–1060, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1033-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1033-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Owing to differences in the existing published results, we conducted a detailed analysis of the runoff components and future trends in the Yarlung Tsangpo River basin and found that the contributions of snowmelt and glacier melt runoff to streamflow (both ~5 %) are limited and much lower than previous results. The streamflow in this area will continuously increase in the future, but the overestimated contribution of glacier melt could lead to an underestimation of this increasing trend.
Tian Lan, Tongfang Li, Hongbo Zhang, Jiefeng Wu, Yongqin David Chen, and Chong-Yu Xu
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 903–924, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-903-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-903-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study develops an integrated framework based on the novel Driving index for changes in Precipitation–Runoff Relationships (DPRR) to explore the controlling changes in precipitation–runoff relationships in non-stationary environments. According to the quantitative results of the candidate driving factors, the possible process explanations for changes in the precipitation–runoff relationships are deduced. The main contribution offers a comprehensive understanding of hydrological processes.
Everett Snieder and Usman T. Khan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 785–798, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-785-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-785-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Improving the accuracy of flood forecasts is paramount to minimising flood damage. Machine learning (ML) models are increasingly being applied for flood forecasting. Such models are typically trained on large historic hydrometeorological datasets. In this work, we evaluate methods for selecting training datasets that maximise the spatio-temporal diversity of the represented hydrological processes. Empirical results showcase the importance of hydrological diversity in training ML models.
Joško Trošelj and Naota Hanasaki
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 753–766, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-753-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-753-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents the first distributed hydrological simulation which confirms claims raised by historians that the eastward diversion project of the Tone River in Japan was conducted 4 centuries ago to increase low flows and subsequent travelling possibilities surrounding the capital, Edo (Tokyo), using inland navigation. We showed that great steps forward can be made for improving quality of life with small human engineering waterworks and small interventions in the regime of natural flows.
Léonard Santos, Vazken Andréassian, Torben O. Sonnenborg, Göran Lindström, Alban de Lavenne, Charles Perrin, Lila Collet, and Guillaume Thirel
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 683–700, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-683-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-683-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This work investigates how hydrological models are transferred to a period in which climate conditions are different to the ones of the period in which they were set up. The robustness assessment test built to detect dependencies between model error and climatic drivers was applied to three hydrological models in 352 catchments in Denmark, France and Sweden. Potential issues are seen in a significant number of catchments for the models, even though the catchments differ for each model.
Xudong Zheng, Dengfeng Liu, Shengzhi Huang, Hao Wang, and Xianmeng Meng
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 627–653, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-627-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-627-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Water budget non-closure is a widespread phenomenon among multisource datasets which undermines the robustness of hydrological inferences. This study proposes a Multisource Dataset Correction Framework grounded in Physical Hydrological Process Modelling to enhance water budget closure, termed PHPM-MDCF. We examined the efficiency and robustness of the framework using the CAMELS dataset and achieved an average reduction of 49 % in total water budget residuals across 475 CONUS basins.
Elena Macdonald, Bruno Merz, Viet Dung Nguyen, and Sergiy Vorogushyn
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 447–463, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-447-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-447-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Flood peak distributions indicate how likely the occurrence of an extreme flood is at a certain river. If the distribution has a so-called heavy tail, extreme floods are more likely than might be anticipated. We find heavier tails in small catchments compared to large catchments, and spatially variable rainfall leads to a lower occurrence probability of extreme floods. Spatially variable runoff does not show effects. The results can improve estimations of probabilities of extreme floods.
Junfu Gong, Xingwen Liu, Cheng Yao, Zhijia Li, Albrecht H. Weerts, Qiaoling Li, Satish Bastola, Yingchun Huang, and Junzeng Xu
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 335–360, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-335-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-335-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our study introduces a new method to improve flood forecasting by combining soil moisture and streamflow data using an advanced data assimilation technique. By integrating field and reanalysis soil moisture data and assimilating this with streamflow measurements, we aim to enhance the accuracy of flood predictions. This approach reduces the accumulation of past errors in the initial conditions at the start of the forecast, helping to better prepare for and respond to floods.
Jordy Salmon-Monviola, Ophélie Fovet, and Markus Hrachowitz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 127–158, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-127-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-127-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
To increase the predictive power of hydrological models, it is necessary to improve their consistency, i.e. their physical realism, which is measured by the ability of the model to reproduce observed system dynamics. Using a model to represent the dynamics of water and nitrate and dissolved organic carbon concentrations in an agricultural catchment, we showed that using solute-concentration data for calibration is useful to improve the hydrological consistency of the model.
Haley A. Canham, Belize Lane, Colin B. Phillips, and Brendan P. Murphy
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 27–43, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-27-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-27-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The influence of watershed disturbances has proved challenging to disentangle from natural streamflow variability. This study evaluates the influence of time-varying hydrologic controls on rainfall–runoff in undisturbed and wildfire-disturbed watersheds using a novel time-series event separation method. Across watersheds, water year type and season influenced rainfall–runoff patterns. Accounting for these controls enabled clearer isolation of wildfire effects.
Fabian Merk, Timo Schaffhauser, Faizan Anwar, Ye Tuo, Jean-Martial Cohard, and Markus Disse
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 5511–5539, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5511-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5511-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Evapotranspiration (ET) is computed from the vegetation (plant transpiration) and soil (soil evaporation). In western Africa, plant transpiration correlates with vegetation growth. Vegetation is often represented using the leaf area index (LAI). In this study, we evaluate the importance of the LAI for ET calculation. We take a close look at this interaction and highlight its relevance. Our work contributes to the understanding of terrestrial water cycle processes .
Eshrat Fatima, Rohini Kumar, Sabine Attinger, Maren Kaluza, Oldrich Rakovec, Corinna Rebmann, Rafael Rosolem, Sascha E. Oswald, Luis Samaniego, Steffen Zacharias, and Martin Schrön
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 5419–5441, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5419-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5419-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study establishes a framework to incorporate cosmic-ray neutron measurements into the mesoscale Hydrological Model (mHM). We evaluate different approaches to estimate neutron counts within the mHM using the Desilets equation, with uniformly and non-uniformly weighted average soil moisture, and the physically based code COSMIC. The data improved not only soil moisture simulations but also the parameterisation of evapotranspiration in the model.
Laia Estrada, Xavier Garcia, Joan Saló-Grau, Rafael Marcé, Antoni Munné, and Vicenç Acuña
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 5353–5373, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5353-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5353-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Hydrological modelling is a powerful tool to support decision-making. We assessed spatio-temporal patterns and trends of streamflow for 2001–2022 with a hydrological model, integrating stakeholder expert knowledge on management operations. The results provide insight into how climate change and anthropogenic pressures affect water resources availability in regions vulnerable to water scarcity, thus raising the need for sustainable management practices and integrated hydrological modelling.
Patricio Yeste, Matilde García-Valdecasas Ojeda, Sonia R. Gámiz-Fortis, Yolanda Castro-Díez, Axel Bronstert, and María Jesús Esteban-Parra
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 5331–5352, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5331-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5331-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Integrating streamflow and evaporation data can help improve the physical realism of hydrologic models. We investigate the capabilities of the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) to reproduce both hydrologic variables for 189 headwater located in Spain. Results from sensitivity analyses indicate that adding two vegetation parameters is enough to improve the representation of evaporation and that the performance of VIC exceeded that of the largest modelling effort currently available in Spain.
Daniel T. Myers, David Jones, Diana Oviedo-Vargas, John Paul Schmit, Darren L. Ficklin, and Xuesong Zhang
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 5295–5310, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5295-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5295-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We studied how streamflow and water quality models respond to land cover data collected by satellites during the growing season versus the non-growing season. The land cover data showed more trees during the growing season and more built areas during the non-growing season. We next found that the use of non-growing season data resulted in a higher modeled nutrient export to streams. Knowledge of these sensitivities would be particularly important when models inform water resource management.
Kevin R. Shook, Paul H. Whitfield, Christopher Spence, and John W. Pomeroy
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 5173–5192, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5173-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5173-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Recent studies suggest that the velocities of water running off landscapes in the Canadian Prairies may be much smaller than generally assumed. Analyses of historical flows for 23 basins in central Alberta show that many of the rivers responded more slowly and that the flows are much slower than would be estimated from equations developed elsewhere. The effects of slow flow velocities on the development of hydrological models of the region are discussed, as are the possible causes.
Alberto Bassi, Marvin Höge, Antonietta Mira, Fabrizio Fenicia, and Carlo Albert
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4971–4988, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4971-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4971-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The goal is to remove the impact of meteorological drivers in order to uncover the unique landscape fingerprints of a catchment from streamflow data. Our results reveal an optimal two-feature summary for most catchments, with a third feature associated with aridity and intermittent flow that is needed for challenging cases. Baseflow index, aridity, and soil or vegetation attributes strongly correlate with learnt features, indicating their importance for streamflow prediction.
Guillaume Thirel, Léonard Santos, Olivier Delaigue, and Charles Perrin
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4837–4860, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4837-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4837-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We discuss how mathematical transformations impact calibrated hydrological model simulations. We assess how 11 transformations behave over the complete range of streamflows. Extreme transformations lead to models that are specialized for extreme streamflows but show poor performance outside the range of targeted streamflows and are less robust. We show that no a priori assumption about transformations can be taken as warranted.
Robert Hull, Elena Leonarduzzi, Luis De La Fuente, Hoang Viet Tran, Andrew Bennett, Peter Melchior, Reed M. Maxwell, and Laura E. Condon
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4685–4713, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4685-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4685-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Large-scale hydrologic simulators are a needed tool to explore complex watershed processes and how they may evolve with a changing climate. However, calibrating them can be difficult because they are costly to run and have many unknown parameters. We implement a state-of-the-art approach to model calibration using neural networks with a set of experiments based on streamflow in the upper Colorado River basin.
Jari-Pekka Nousu, Kersti Leppä, Hannu Marttila, Pertti Ala-aho, Giulia Mazzotti, Terhikki Manninen, Mika Korkiakoski, Mika Aurela, Annalea Lohila, and Samuli Launiainen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4643–4666, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4643-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4643-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We used hydrological models, field measurements, and satellite-based data to study the soil moisture dynamics in a subarctic catchment. The role of groundwater was studied with different ways to model the groundwater dynamics and via comparisons to the observational data. The choice of groundwater model was shown to have a strong impact, and representation of lateral flow was important to capture wet soil conditions. Our results provide insights for ecohydrological studies in boreal regions.
Chen Yang, Zitong Jia, Wenjie Xu, Zhongwang Wei, Xiaolang Zhang, Yiguang Zou, Jeffrey McDonnell, Laura Condon, Yongjiu Dai, and Reed Maxwell
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-292, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-292, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for HESS
Short summary
Short summary
We developed the first high-resolution, integrated surface water-groundwater hydrologic model of the entire continental China using ParFlow. The model shows good performance of streamflow and water table depth when compared to global data products and observations. It is essential for water resources management and decision making in China within a consistent framework in the changing world. It also has significant implications for similar modeling in other places in the world.
Nienke Tempel, Laurène Bouaziz, Riccardo Taormina, Ellis van Noppen, Jasper Stam, Eric Sprokkereef, and Markus Hrachowitz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4577–4597, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4577-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4577-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study explores the impact of climatic variability on root zone water storage capacities and, thus, on hydrological predictions. Analysing data from 286 areas in Europe and the US, we found that, despite some variations in root zone storage capacity due to changing climatic conditions over multiple decades, these changes are generally minor and have a limited effect on water storage and river flow predictions.
Bu Li, Ting Sun, Fuqiang Tian, Mahmut Tudaji, Li Qin, and Guangheng Ni
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4521–4538, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4521-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4521-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This paper developed hybrid semi-distributed hydrological models by employing a process-based model as the backbone and utilizing deep learning to parameterize and replace internal modules. The main contribution is to provide a high-performance tool enriched with explicit hydrological knowledge for hydrological prediction and to improve understanding about the hydrological sensitivities to climate change in large alpine basins.
Wouter J. M. Knoben, Ashwin Raman, Gaby J. Gründemann, Mukesh Kumar, Alain Pietroniro, Chaopeng Shen, Yalan Song, Cyril Thébault, Katie van Werkhoven, Andrew W. Wood, and Martyn P. Clark
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-279, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-279, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for HESS
Short summary
Short summary
Hydrologic models are needed to provide simulations of water availability, floods and droughts. The accuracy of these simulations is often quantified with so-called performance scores. A common thought is that different models are more or less applicable to different landscapes, depending on how the model works. We show that performance scores are not helpful in distinguishing between different models, and thus cannot easily be used to select an appropriate model for a specific place.
Dan Elhanati, Nadine Goeppert, and Brian Berkowitz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4239–4249, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4239-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4239-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A continuous time random walk framework was developed to allow modeling of a karst aquifer discharge response to measured rainfall. The application of the numerical model yielded robust fits between modeled and measured discharge values, especially for the distinctive long tails found during recession times. The findings shed light on the interplay of slow and fast flow in the karst system and establish the application of the model for simulating flow and transport in such systems.
Frederik Kratzert, Martin Gauch, Daniel Klotz, and Grey Nearing
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4187–4201, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4187-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4187-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Recently, a special type of neural-network architecture became increasingly popular in hydrology literature. However, in most applications, this model was applied as a one-to-one replacement for hydrology models without adapting or rethinking the experimental setup. In this opinion paper, we show how this is almost always a bad decision and how using these kinds of models requires the use of large-sample hydrology data sets.
Franziska Clerc-Schwarzenbach, Giovanni Selleri, Mattia Neri, Elena Toth, Ilja van Meerveld, and Jan Seibert
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4219–4237, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4219-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4219-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We show that the differences between the forcing data included in three CAMELS datasets (US, BR, GB) and the forcing data included for the same catchments in the Caravan dataset affect model calibration considerably. The model performance dropped when the data from the Caravan dataset were used instead of the original data. Most of the model performance drop could be attributed to the differences in precipitation data. However, differences were largest for the potential evapotranspiration data.
Ying Zhao, Mehdi Rahmati, Harry Vereecken, and Dani Or
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4059–4063, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4059-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4059-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Gao et al. (2023) question the importance of soil in hydrology, sparking debate. We acknowledge some valid points but critique their broad, unsubstantiated views on soil's role. Our response highlights three key areas: (1) the false divide between ecosystem-centric and soil-centric approaches, (2) the vital yet varied impact of soil properties, and (3) the call for a scale-aware framework. We aim to unify these perspectives, enhancing hydrology's comprehensive understanding.
Siyuan Wang, Markus Hrachowitz, and Gerrit Schoups
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4011–4033, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4011-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4011-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Root zone storage capacity (Sumax) changes significantly over multiple decades, reflecting vegetation adaptation to climatic variability. However, this temporal evolution of Sumax cannot explain long-term fluctuations in the partitioning of water fluxes as expressed by deviations ΔIE from the parametric Budyko curve over time with different climatic conditions, and it does not have any significant effects on shorter-term hydrological response characteristics of the upper Neckar catchment.
Fabián Lema, Pablo A. Mendoza, Nicolás A. Vásquez, Naoki Mizukami, Mauricio Zambrano-Bigiarini, and Ximena Vargas
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-221, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-221, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for HESS
Short summary
Short summary
Hydrological droughts affect ecosystems and socioeconomic activities worldwide. Despite they are commonly described with the Standardized Streamflow Index (SSI), there is limited understanding of what it truly reflects in terms of water cycle processes. Here, we used state-of-the-art hydrological models in Andean basins to examine drivers of SSI fluctuations. The results highlight the importance of careful selection of indices and time scales for accurate drought characterization and monitoring.
Zehua Chang, Hongkai Gao, Leilei Yong, Kang Wang, Rensheng Chen, Chuntan Han, Otgonbayar Demberel, Batsuren Dorjsuren, Shugui Hou, and Zheng Duan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3897–3917, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3897-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3897-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
An integrated cryospheric–hydrologic model, FLEX-Cryo, was developed that considers glaciers, snow cover, and frozen soil and their dynamic impacts on hydrology. We utilized it to simulate future changes in cryosphere and hydrology in the Hulu catchment. Our projections showed the two glaciers will melt completely around 2050, snow cover will reduce, and permafrost will degrade. For hydrology, runoff will decrease after the glacier has melted, and permafrost degradation will increase baseflow.
Henry M. Zimba, Miriam Coenders-Gerrits, Kawawa E. Banda, Petra Hulsman, Nick van de Giesen, Imasiku A. Nyambe, and Hubert H. G. Savenije
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3633–3663, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3633-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3633-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The fall and flushing of new leaves in the miombo woodlands co-occur in the dry season before the commencement of seasonal rainfall. The miombo species are also said to have access to soil moisture in deep soils, including groundwater in the dry season. Satellite-based evaporation estimates, temporal trends, and magnitudes differ the most in the dry season, most likely due to inadequate understanding and representation of the highlighted miombo species attributes in simulations.
Jean-Luc Martel, François Brissette, Richard Arsenault, Richard Turcotte, Mariana Castañeda-Gonzalez, William Armstrong, Edouard Mailhot, Jasmine Pelletier-Dumont, Gabriel Rondeau-Genesse, and Louis-Philippe Caron
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2133, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2133, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study compares Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural networks with traditional hydrological models to predict future streamflow under climate change. Using data from 148 catchments, it finds that LSTM models, which learn from extensive data sequences, perform differently and often better than traditional hydrolgical models. The continental LSTM model, which includes data from diverse climate zones, is particularly effective for understanding climate impacts on water resources.
Louise Akemi Kuana, Arlan Scortegagna Almeida, Emílio Graciliano Ferreira Mercuri, and Steffen Manfred Noe
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3367–3390, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3367-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3367-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The authors compared regionalization methods for river flow prediction in 126 catchments from the south of Brazil, a region with humid subtropical and hot temperate climate. The regionalization method based on physiographic–climatic similarity had the best performance for predicting daily and Q95 reference flow. We showed that basins without flow monitoring can have a good approximation of streamflow using machine learning and physiographic–climatic information as inputs.
Huy Dang and Yadu Pokhrel
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3347–3365, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3347-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3347-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
By examining basin-wide simulations of a river regime over 83 years with and without dams, we present evidence that climate variation was a key driver of hydrologic variabilities in the Mekong River basin (MRB) over the long term; however, dams have largely altered the seasonality of the Mekong’s flow regime and annual flooding patterns in major downstream areas in recent years. These findings could help us rethink the planning of future dams and water resource management in the MRB.
Yongshin Lee, Francesca Pianosi, Andres Peñuela, and Miguel Angel Rico-Ramirez
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3261–3279, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3261-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3261-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Following recent advancements in weather prediction technology, we explored how seasonal weather forecasts (1 or more months ahead) could benefit practical water management in South Korea. Our findings highlight that using seasonal weather forecasts for predicting flow patterns 1 to 3 months ahead is effective, especially during dry years. This suggest that seasonal weather forecasts can be helpful in improving the management of water resources.
Mariam Khanam, Giulia Sofia, and Emmanouil N. Anagnostou
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3161–3190, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3161-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3161-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Flooding worsens due to climate change, with river dynamics being a key in local flood control. Predicting post-storm geomorphic changes is challenging. Using self-organizing maps and machine learning, this study forecasts post-storm alterations in stage–discharge relationships across 3101 US stream gages. The provided framework can aid in updating hazard assessments by identifying rivers prone to change, integrating channel adjustments into flood hazard assessment.
Yalan Song, Wouter J. M. Knoben, Martyn P. Clark, Dapeng Feng, Kathryn Lawson, Kamlesh Sawadekar, and Chaopeng Shen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3051–3077, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3051-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3051-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Differentiable models (DMs) integrate neural networks and physical equations for accuracy, interpretability, and knowledge discovery. We developed an adjoint-based DM for ordinary differential equations (ODEs) for hydrological modeling, reducing distorted fluxes and physical parameters from errors in models that use explicit and operation-splitting schemes. With a better numerical scheme and improved structure, the adjoint-based DM matches or surpasses long short-term memory (LSTM) performance.
Mahmut Tudaji, Yi Nan, and Fuqiang Tian
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1438, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1438, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Common intuition holds that higher input data resolution leads to better results. To assess the benefits of high-resolution data, we conducted simulation experiments using data with various temporal resolutions across multiple catchments, and found that higher resolution data does not always improve model performance, challenging the necessity of pursuing such data. In catchments with small areas or significant flow variability, high-resolution data is more valuable.
Florian Willkofer, Raul R. Wood, and Ralf Ludwig
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 2969–2989, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-2969-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-2969-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Severe flood events pose a threat to riverine areas, yet robust estimates of the dynamics of these events in the future due to climate change are rarely available. Hence, this study uses data from a regional climate model, SMILE, to drive a high-resolution hydrological model for 98 catchments of hydrological Bavaria and exploits the large database to derive robust values for the 100-year flood events. Results indicate an increase in frequency and intensity for most catchments in the future.
Maik Renner and Corina Hauffe
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 2849–2869, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-2849-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-2849-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Climate and land surface changes influence the partitioning of water balance components decisively. Their impact is quantified for 71 catchments in Saxony. Germany. Distinct signatures in the joint water and energy budgets are found: (i) past forest dieback caused a decrease in and subsequent recovery of evapotranspiration in the affected regions, and (ii) the recent shift towards higher aridity imposed a large decline in runoff that has not been seen in the observation records before.
Zhen Cui, Shenglian Guo, Hua Chen, Dedi Liu, Yanlai Zhou, and Chong-Yu Xu
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 2809–2829, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-2809-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-2809-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ensemble forecasting facilitates reliable flood forecasting and warning. This study couples the copula-based hydrologic uncertainty processor (CHUP) with Bayesian model averaging (BMA) and proposes the novel CHUP-BMA method of reducing inflow forecasting uncertainty of the Three Gorges Reservoir. The CHUP-BMA avoids the normal distribution assumption in the HUP-BMA and considers the constraint of initial conditions, which can improve the deterministic and probabilistic forecast performance.
Cited articles
Andersson, J. C. M., Pechlivanidis, I. G., Gustafsson, D., Donnelly, C., and
Arheimer, B.: Key factors for improving large-scale hydrological model performance, Eur. Water, 49, 77–88, 2015.
Andersson, J. C. M., Ali, A., Arheimer, B., Gustafsson, D., and Minoungou, B.: Providing peak river flow statistics and forecasting in the Niger River
basin, Phys. Chem. Earth, 100, 3–12, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2017.02.010, 2017.
Archfield, S. A., Clark, M., Arheimer, B., Hay, L. E., McMillan, H., Kiang, J. E., Seibert, J., Hakala, K., Bock, A., Wagener, T., Farmer, W. H., Andréassian, V., Attinger, S., Viglione, A., Knight, R., Markstrom, S., and Over, T.: Accelerating advances in continental domain hydrologic
modeling, Water Resour. Res., 51, 10078–10091, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015WR017498, 2015.
Arciniega-Esparza, S. and Birkel, C.: Hydrological simulations for Costa Rica from 1985 to 2019 using HYPE CR 1.0 (1.0), Zenodo [data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4029572, 2020.
Arciniega-Esparza, S., Breña-Naranjo, J. A., and Troch, P. A.: On the
connection between terrestrial and riparian vegetation: The role of storage
partitioning in water-limited catchments, Hydrol. Process., 31, 489–494, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.11071, 2017.
Arheimer, B., Hjerdt, N., and Lindström, G.: Artificially Induced Floods
to Manage Forest Habitats Under Climate Change, Fronti. Environ. Sci., 6, 1–8, https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2018.00102, 2018.
Arheimer, B., Pimentel, R., Isberg, K., Crochemore, L., Andersson, J. C. M., Hasan, A., and Pineda, L.: Global catchment modelling using World-Wide HYPE (WWH), open data, and stepwise parameter estimation, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 535–559, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-535-2020, 2020.
Bamler, R.: The SRTM mission: A world-wide 30 m resolution DEM from SAR
interferometry in 11 days, Photogrammetric Week, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/ (last access: 20 April 2019), 1999.
Bayissa, Y., Tadesse, T., Demisse, G., and Shiferaw, A.: Evaluation of
satellite-based rainfall estimates and application to monitor meteorological
drought for the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia, Remote Sens., 9, 669,
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs9070669, 2017.
Beck, H. E., de Roo, A., and van Dijk, A. I. J. M.: Global Maps of Streamflow Characteristics Based on Observations from Several Thousand Catchments, J. Hydrometeorol., 16, 1478–1501, https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM-D-14-0155.1, 2015.
Berg, P., Donnelly, C., and Gustafsson, D.: Near-real-time adjusted reanalysis forcing data for hydrology, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 989–1000, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-989-2018, 2018.
Beven, K.: A manifesto for the equifinality thesis, J. Hydrol., 320, 18–36, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2005.07.007, 2006.
Beven, K.: Rainfall-runoff modelling: The primer, 2nd Edn., Wiley, Chichester, UK, 2012.
Birkel, C., Soulsby, C., and Tetzlaff, D.: Modelling the impacts of land-cover change on streamflow dynamics of a tropical rainforest headwater
catchment, Hydrolog. Sci. J., 57, 1543–1561, https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2012.728707, 2012.
Birkel, C., Duvert, C., Correa, A., Munksgaard, N. C., Maher, D. T., and
Hutley, L. B.: Tracer-Aided Modeling in the Low-Relief, Wet-Dry Tropics
Suggests Water Ages and DOC Export Are Driven by Seasonal Wetlands and Deep
Groundwater, Water Resour. Res., 56, e2019WR026175, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR026175, 2020.
Bontemps, S., Defourny, P., Radoux, J., Van Bogaert, E., Lamarche, C., Achard, F., Mayaux, P., Boettcher, M., Brockmann, C., Kirches, G., Zülkhe, M., Kalogirou, V., and Arino, O.: Consistent Global Land Cover Maps for Climate Modeling Communities: Current Achievements of the ESA's Land Cover CCI, in: ESA Living Planet Symposium, http://maps.elie.ucl.ac.be/CCI/viewer/index.php (last access: 5 May 2019), 2013.
Brocca, L., Massari, C., Pellarin, T., Filippucci, P., Ciabatta, L., Camici,
S., Kerr, Y. H., and Fernández-Prieto, D.: River flow prediction in data
scarce regions: soil moisture integrated satellite rainfall products outperform rain gauge observations in West Africa, Sci. Rep., 10, 12517,
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-69343-x, 2020.
Conrad, O., Bechtel, B., Bock, M., Dietrich, H., Fischer, E., Gerlitz, L., Wehberg, J., Wichmann, V., and Böhner, J.: System for Automated Geoscientific Analyses (SAGA) v. 2.1.4, Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 1991–2007, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-1991-2015, 2015.
Dal Molin, M., Schirmer, M., Zappa, M., and Fenicia, F.: Understanding
dominant controls on streamflow spatial variability to set up a semi-distributed hydrological model: The case study of the Thur catchment,
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1319–1345, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1319-2020,
2020.
Dehaspe, J., Birkel, C., Tetzlaff, D., Sánchez-Murillo, R., Durán-Quesada, A. M., and Soulsby, C.: Spatially distributed tracer-aided modelling to explore water and isotope transport, storage and mixing in a pristine, humid tropical catchment, Hydrol. Process., 32, 3206–3224, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13258, 2018.
Esquivel-Hernández, G., Sánchez-Murillo, R., Birkel, C., Good, S. P., and Boll, J.: Hydroclimatic and ecohydrological resistance/resilience conditions across tropical biomes of Costa Rica, Ecohydrology, 10, 1–12,
https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.1860, 2017.
Frumau, K. F. A., Bruijnzeel, L. A. S., and Tobón, C.: Precipitation
measurement and derivation of precipitation inclination in a windy mountainous area in northern Costa Rica, Hydrol. Process., 25, 499–509, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.7860, 2011.
Funk, C., Peterson, P., Landsfeld, M., Pedreros, D., Verdin, J., Shukla, S., Husak, G., Rowland, J., Harrison, L., Hoell, A., and Michaelsen, J.: The climate hazards infrared precipitation with stations – A new environmental record for monitoring extremes, Scient. Data, 2, 1–21, https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2015.66, 2015.
Garcia, F., Folton, N., and Oudin, L.: Which objective function to calibrate
rainfall–runoff models for low-flow index simulations?, Hydrolog. Sci. J., 62, 1149–1166, https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2017.1308511, 2017.
Genereux, D. P. and Jordan, M.: Interbasin groundwater flow and groundwater
interaction with surface water in a lowland rainforest, Costa Rica: A review, J. Hydrol., 320, 385–399, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2005.07.023, 2006.
Genereux, D. P., Wood, S. J., and Pringle, C. M.: Chemical tracing of interbasin groundwater transfer in the lowland rainforest of Costa Rica, J. Hydrol., 258, 163–178, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(01)00568-6, 2002.
Getirana, A., Jung, H. C., Arsenault, K., Shukla, S., Kumar, S., Peters-Lidard, C., Maigari, I., and Mamane, B.: Satellite Gravimetry Improves Seasonal Streamflow Forecast Initialization in Africa, Water Resour. Res., 56, e2019WR026259, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR026259, 2020.
Gibbs, H. K., Ruesch, A. S., Achard, F., Clayton, M. K., Holmgren, P.,
Ramankutty, N. and Foley, J. A.: Tropical forests were the primary sources
of new agricultural land in the 1980s and 1990s, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 107, 16732–16737, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0910275107, 2010.
Giorgi, F.: Climate change hot-spots, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L08707, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL025734, 2006.
Gómez-Delgado, F., Roupsard, O., Le Maire, G., Taugourdeau, S., Pérez, A., Van Oijen, M., Vaast, P., Rapidel, B., Harmand, J. M., Voltz,
M., Bonnefond, J. M., Imbach, P., and Moussa, R.: Modelling the hydrological
behaviour of a coffee agroforestry basin in Costa Rica, Hydrol. Earth Syst.
Sci., 15, 369–392, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-369-2011, 2011.
Goshime, D. W., Absi, R., and Ledésert, B.: Evaluation and Bias Correction of CHIRP Rainfall Estimate for Rainfall-Runoff Simulation over Lake Ziway Watershed, Ethiopia, Hydrology, 6, 1–22, https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6030068, 2019.
Grillakis, M., Koutroulis, A., Tsanis, I., Grillakis, M., Koutroulis, A., and Tsanis, I.: Improving Seasonal Forecasts for Basin Scale Hydrological Applications, Water, 10, 1593, https://doi.org/10.3390/W10111593, 2018.
Guimberteau, M., Drapeau, G., Ronchail, J., Sultan, B., Polcher, J., Martinez, J.-M., Prigent, C., Guyot, J.-L., Cochonneau, G., Espinoza, J. C., Filizola, N., Fraizy, P., Lavado, W., De Oliveira, E., Pombosa, R., Noriega,
L., and Vauchel, P.: Discharge simulation in the sub-basins of the Amazon
using ORCHIDEE forced by new datasets, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 911–935, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-911-2012, 2012.
Gurtz, J., Baltensweiler, A., and Lang, H.: Spatially distributed hydrotope-based modelling of evapotranspiration and runoff in mountainous
basins, Hydrol. Process., 13, 2751–2768, https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1085(19991215)13:17<2751::AID-HYP897>3.0.CO;2-O, 1999.
Hengl, T., De Jesus, J. M., Heuvelink, G. B. M., Gonzalez, M. R., Kilibarda, M., Blagotić, A., Shangguan, W., Wright, M. N., Geng, X., Bauer-Marschallinger, B., Guevara, M. A., Vargas, R., MacMillan, R. A., Batjes, N. H., Leenaars, J. G. B., Ribeiro, E., Wheeler, I., Mantel, S. and Kempen, B.: SoilGrids250m: Global gridded soil information based on machine learning, PLoS ONE, 12, e0169748, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169748, 2017.
Her, Y. and Seong, C.: Responses of hydrological model equifinality, uncertainty, and performance to multi-objective parameter calibration, J.
Hydroinform., 20, 864–885, https://doi.org/10.2166/hydro.2018.108, 2018.
Hrachowitz, M., Savenije, H. H. G., Blöschl, G., McDonnell, J. J., Sivapalan, M., Pomeroy, J. W., Arheimer, B., Blume, T., Clark, M. P., Ehret,
U., Fenicia, F., Freer, J. E., Gelfan, A., Gupta, H. V., Hughes, D. A., Hut,
R. W., Montanari, A., Pande, S., Tetzlaff, D., Troch, P. A., Uhlenbrook, S.,
Wagener, T., Winsemius, H. C., Woods, R. A., Zehe, E., and Cudennec, C.: A
decade of Predictions in Ungauged Basins (PUB) – a review, Hydrolog. Sci. J., 58, 1198–1255, https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2013.803183, 2013.
Infante-Corona, J. A., Lakhankar, T., Pradhanang, S., and Khanbilvardi, R.:
Remote sensing and ground-based weather forcing data analysis for streamflow
simulation, Hydrology, 1, 89–111, https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology1010089, 2014.
Kirchner, J. W.: Catchments as simple dynamical systems: Catchment
characterization, rainfall-runoff modeling, and doing hydrology backward,
Water Resour. Res., 45, W02429, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008WR006912, 2009.
Kling, H. and Gupta, H.: On the development of regionalization relationships
for lumped watershed models: The impact of ignoring sub-basin scale variability, J. Hydrol., 373, 337–351, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2009.04.031, 2009.
Kruskal, W. H. and Wallis, W. W.: Use of Ranks in One-Criterion Variance
Analysis, J. Am. Stat. Assoc., 47, 283–621, 1952.
Kumar, R., Livneh, B., and Samaniego, L.: Toward computationally efficient
large-scale hydrologic predictions with a multiscale regionalization scheme,
Water Resour. Res., 49, 5700–5714, https://doi.org/10.1002/wrcr.20431, 2013.
Kwon, M., Kwon, H. H., and Han, D.: A hybrid approach combining conceptual
hydrological models, support vector machines and remote sensing data for
rainfall-runoff modeling, Remote Sens., 12, 1801, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12111801, 2020.
Lin, P., Rajib, M. A., Yang, Z. L., Somos-Valenzuela, M., Merwade, V., Maidment, D. R., Wang, Y., and Chen, L.: Spatiotemporal Evaluation of
Simulated Evapotranspiration and Streamflow over Texas Using the WRF-Hydro-RAPID Modeling Framework, J. Am. Water Resour. Assoc., 54, 40–54, https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12585, 2018.
Lindström, G.: Lake water levels for calibration of the S-HYPE model,
Hydrol. Res., 47, 672–682, https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2016.019, 2016.
Lindström, G., Johansson, B., Persson, M., Gardelin, M., and Bergström, S.: Development and test of the distributed HBV-96 model, J.
Hydrol., 201, 272–288, 1997.
Lindström, G., Pers, C., Rosberg, J., Strömqvist, J., and Berit, A.:
Development and testing of the HYPE (Hydrological Predictions for the
Environment) water quality model for different spatial scales, Hydrol. Res., 4, 295–319, https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2010.007, 2010.
Liu, Z., Shao, Q., and Liu, J.: The performances of MODIS-GPP and -ET products in China and their sensitivity to input data (FPAR/LAI), Remote
Sens., 7, 135–152, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs70100135, 2015.
Maggioni, V., Meyers, P. C., and Robinson, M. D.: A review of merged
high-resolution satellite precipitation product accuracy during the Tropical
Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) era, J. Hydrometeorol., 17, 1101–1117,
https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM-D-15-0190.1, 2016.
Maldonado, T., Alfaro, E., Fallas-López, B., and Alvarado, L.: Seasonal
prediction of extreme precipitation events and frequency of rainy days over
Costa Rica, Central America, using Canonical Correlation Analysis, Adv. Geosci., 33, 41–52, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-33-41-2013, 2013.
Mann, H. B. and Whitney, D. R.: On a test of whether one of two random variables is stochastically larger than the other, Ann. Math. Stat., 18,
50–60, 1947.
Massari, C., Brocca, L., Tarpanelli, A., and Moramarco, T.: Data assimilation of satellite soil moisture into rainfall-runoff modelling: A complex recipe?, Remote Sens., 7, 11403–11433, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs70911403, 2015.
Miralles, D. G., Holmes, T. R. H., De Jeu, R. A. M., Gash, J. H., Meesters,
A. G. C. A., and Dolman, A. J.: Global land-surface evaporation estimated
from satellite-based observations, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 15, 453–469, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-453-2011, 2011.
Monteiro, E. S. V., Fonte, C. C., and de Lima, J. L. M. P.: Analyzing the
potential of OpenStreetMap data to improve the accuracy of SRTM 30 DEM on
derived basin delineation, slope, and drainage networks, Hydrology, 5, 1–27, https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology5030034, 2018.
Mu, Q., Zhao, M., and Running, S. W.: Improvements to a MODIS global terrestrial evapotranspiration algorithm, Remote Sens. Environ., 115, 1781–1800, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2011.02.019, 2011.
Mu, Q., Zhao, M., and Running, S. W.: MODIS Global Terrestrial
Evapotranspiration (ET) Product (MOD16A2/A3), Algorithm Theor. Basis Doc,
https://modis-land.gsfc.nasa.gov/pdf/MOD16ATBD.pdf (last access: 11 May 2019), 2013.
Muñoz, E., Busalacchi, A. J., Nigam, S., and Ruiz-Barradas, A.: Winter
and summer structure of the Caribbean low-level jet, J. Climate, 21, 1260–1276, https://doi.org/10.1175/2007JCLI1855.1, 2008.
Neteler, M., Bowman, M. H., Landa, M., and Metz, M.: GRASS GIS: A multi-purpose open source GIS, Environ. Model. Softw., 31, 124–130,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2011.11.014, 2012.
OACG: Hydrology for Costa Rica, https://zaul-ae.gitbook.io/oacg-hidrologia/v/english/, last access: 21 May 2021.
Owe, M., de Jeu, R., and Holmes, T.: Multisensor historical climatology of satellite-derived global land surface moisture, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 113, F01002, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JF000769, 2008.
Pan, S., Pan, N., Tian, H., Friedlingstein, P., Sitch, S., Shi, H., Arora, V. K., Haverd, V., Jain, A. K., Kato, E., Lienert, S., Lombardozzi, D., Nabel, J. E. M. S., Ottlé, C., Poulter, B., Zaehle, S., and Running, S. W.: Evaluation of global terrestrial evapotranspiration using state-of-the-art approaches in remote sensing, machine learning and land surface modeling, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1485–1509, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1485-2020, 2020.
Pechlivanidis, G. I., and Arheimer, B.: Large-scale hydrological modelling
by using modified PUB recommendations: The India-HYPE case, Hydrol. Earth
Syst. Sci., 19, 4559–4579, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4559-2015, 2015.
Pechlivanidis, G. I., Bosshard, T., Spångmyr, H., Lindström, G.,
Gustafsson, D., and Arheimer, B.: Uncertainty in the Swedish Operational
Hydrological Forecasting Systems, in: ASCE proceedings: Vulnerability,
Uncertainty, and Risk, 253–262, https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784413609.026, 2014.
Pugliese, A., Persiano, S., Bagli, S., Mazzoli, P., Parajka, J., Arheimer, B., Capell, R., Montanari, A., Blöschl, G., and Castellarin, A.: A geostatistical data-assimilation technique for enhancing macro-scale rainfall–runoff simulations, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 4633–4648, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-4633-2018, 2018.
Rajib, A., Evenson, G. R., Golden, H. E., and Lane, C. R.: Hydrologic model
predictability improves with spatially explicit calibration using remotely
sensed evapotranspiration and biophysical parameters, J. Hydrol., 567, 668–683, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.10.024, 2018a.
Rajib, A., Merwade, V., and Yu, Z.: Rationale and Efficacy of Assimilating
Remotely Sensed Potential Evapotranspiration for Reduced Uncertainty of Hydrologic Models, Water Resour. Res., 54, 4615–4637, https://doi.org/10.1029/2017WR021147, 2018b.
Rakovec, O., Kumar, R., Attinger, S. and Samaniego, L.: Improving the realism of hydrologic model functioning through multivariate parameter estimation, Water Resour. Res., 52, 7779–7792, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR019430, 2016.
Raphael Tshimanga, M. and Hughes, D. A.: Basin-scale performance of a
semidistributed rainfall-runoff model for hydrological predictions and water
resources assessment of large rivers: The Congo River, Water Resour. Res.,
50, 1174–188, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.1969.tb04897.x, 2014.
Reager, J. T., Thomas, A. C., Sproles, E. A., Rodell, M., Beaudoing, H. K.,
Li, B., and Famiglietti, J. S.: Assimilation of GRACE terrestrial water storage observations into a land surface model for the assessment of regional flood potential, Remote Sens., 7, 14663–14679, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs71114663, 2015.
Rojas-Serna, C., Lebecherel, L., Perrin, C., Andréassian, V., and Oudin,
L.: How should a rainfall-runoff model be parameterized in an almost ungauged catchment? A methodology tested on 609 catchments, Water Resour. Res., 52, 4765–4784, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015WR018549, 2016.
Sáenz, F. and Durán-Quesada, A. M.: A climatology of low level wind
regimes over Central America using a weather type classification approach,
Front. Earth Sci., 3, 1–18, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2015.00015, 2015.
Santos, L., Thirel, G., and Perrin, C.: Technical note: Pitfalls in using log-transformed flows within the KGE criterion, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 4583–4591, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-4583-2018, 2018.
Sawicz, K., Wagener, T., Sivapalan, M., Troch, P. A., and Carrillo, G.:
Catchment classification: Empirical analysis of hydrologic similarity based
on catchment function in the eastern USA, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 15,
2895–2911, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-2895-2011, 2011.
Seibert, J.: HBV light version 2 User's Manual, Department of Earth
Sciences, Hydrology, Sweden, https://www.geo.uzh.ch/dam/jcr:c8afa73c-ac90-478e-a8c7-929eed7b1b62/HBV_manual_2005.pdf (last access: 5 December 2019), 2005.
Sheffield, J., Wood, E. F., Pan, M., Beck, H., Coccia, G., Serrat-Capdevila,
A., and Verbist, K.: Satellite Remote Sensing for Water Resources Management: Potential for Supporting Sustainable Development in Data-Poor Regions, Water Resour. Res., 54, 9724–9758, https://doi.org/10.1029/2017WR022437, 2018.
Shepard, D.: A two-dimensional interpolation function for irregularly-spaced
data, in: Proceedings of the 1968 23rd ACM National Conference, ACM 1968,
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.154.6880&rep=rep1&type=pdf (last access: 11 September 2021), 1968.
Silvestro, F., Gabellani, S., Rudari, R., Delogu, F., Laiolo, P., and Boni, G.: Uncertainty reduction and parameter estimation of a distributed hydrological model with ground and remote-sensing data, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 1727–1751, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-1727-2015, 2015.
SMHI: HYPE model description, 1–113, https://hypeweb.smhi.se/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hype_model_description.pdf (last access: 3 July 2021), 2018.
Sood, A. and Smakhtin, V.: Revue des modèles hydrologiques globaux, Hydrolog. Sci. J., 60, 549–565, https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2014.950580, 2015.
Tang, R., Li, Z. L., and Chen, K. S.: Validating MODIS-derived land surface
evapotranspiration with in situ measurements at two AmeriFlux sites in a
semiarid region, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 116, 1–14,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JD014543, 2011.
Tanouchi, H., Olsson, J., Lindström, G., Kawamura, A., and Amaguchi, H.:
Improving Urban Runoff in Multi-Basin Hydrological Simulation by the HYPE
Model Using EEA Urban Atlas: A Case Study in the Sege River Basin, Sweden,
Hydrology, 6, 28, https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6010028, 2019.
Todini, E.: Hydrological catchment modelling: Past, present and future, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 11, 468–482, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-11-468-2007, 2007.
Troch, P. A., Martinez, G. F., Pauwels, V. R. N., Durcik, M., Sivapalan, M.,
Harman, C., Brooks, P. D., Gupta, H., and Huxman, T.: Climate and vegetation
water use efficiency at catchment scales, Hydrol. Process., 23, 2409–2414,
https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.7358, 2009.
Ullah, W., Wang, G., Ali, G., Fiifi, D., Hagan, T., Bhatti, A. S., and Lou,
D.: Comparing Multiple Precipitation Products against In-Situ Observations
over Different Climate Regions of Pakistan, Remote Sens., 11, 628,
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11060628, 2019.
Velpuri, N. M., Senay, G. B., Singh, R. K., Bohms, S., and Verdin, J. P.: A
comprehensive evaluation of two MODIS evapotranspiration products over the
conterminous United States: Using point and gridded FLUXNET and water
balance ET, Remote Sens. Environ., 139, 35–49, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2013.07.013, 2013.
Walsh, R. P. D. and Lawler, D. M.: Rainfall seasonality spatial patterns and change through time, Weather, 36, 201–208, 1981.
Wang, L. and Liu, H.: An efficient method for identifying and filling surface depressions in digital elevation models for hydrologic analysis and modelling, Int. J. Geogr. Inf. Sci., 20, 193–213, https://doi.org/10.1080/13658810500433453, 2006.
Waylen, P. R., Caviedes, C. N., and Quesada, M. E.: Interannual variability
of monthly precipitation in Costa Rica, J. Climate, 9, 2606–2613, 1996.
Weerasinghe, I., Bastiaanssen, W., Mul, M., Jia, L., and van Griensven, A.: Can we trust remote sensing evapotranspiration products over Africa?, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1565–1586, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1565-2020, 2020.
Westerberg, I. K. and Birkel, C.: Observational uncertainties in hypothesis
testing: Investigating the hydrological functioning of a tropical catchment,
Hydrol. Process., 29, 4863–4879, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.10533, 2015.
Westerberg, I. K. and McMillan, H. K.: Uncertainty in hydrological signatures, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 3951–3968,
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3951-2015, 2015.
Westerberg, I. K., Gong, L., Beven, K. J., Seibert, J., Semedo, A., Xu, C. Y., and Halldin, S.: Regional water balance modelling using flow-duration
curves with observational uncertainties, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18,
2993–3013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2993-2014, 2014.
Wohl, E., Barros, A., Brunsell, N., Chappell, N. A., Coe, M., Giambelluca, T., Goldsmith, S., Harmon, R., Hendrickx, J. M. H., Juvik, J., McDonnell, J.,
and Ogden, F.: The hydrology of the humid tropics, Nat. Clim. Change, 2,
655–662, https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1556, 2012.
Wörner, V., Kreye, P., and Meon, G.: Effects of bias-correcting climate
model data on the projection of future changes in high flows, Hydrology, 6, 46, https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6020046, 2019.
Xiong, L. and Zeng, L.: Impacts of introducing remote sensing soil moisture
in calibrating a distributed hydrological model for streamflow simulation,
Water, 11, 666, https://doi.org/10.3390/w11040666, 2019.
Zambrano-Bigiarini, M., Nauditt, A., Birkel, C., Verbist, K., and Ribbe, L.:
Temporal and spatial evaluation of satellite-based rainfall estimates across
the complex topographical and climatic gradients of Chile, Hydrol. Earth
Syst. Sci., 21, 1295–1320, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1295-2017, 2017.
Zhang, R., Liu, J., Gao, H., and Mao, G.: Can multi-objective calibration of
streamflow guarantee better hydrological model accuracy?, J. Hydroinform., 20, 687–698, https://doi.org/10.2166/hydro.2018.131, 2018.
Ziegler, A. D., Giambelluca, T. W., Plondke, D., Leisz, S., Tran, L. T., Fox, J., Nullet, M. A., Vogler, J. B., Minh Troung, D., and Tran Duc, V.: Hydrological consequences of landscape fragmentation in mountainous northern
Vietnam: Buffering of Hortonian overland flow, J. Hydrol., 337, 52–67, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2007.01.031, 2007.
Short summary
In the humid tropics, a notoriously data-scarce region, we need to find alternatives in order to reasonably apply hydrological models. Here, we tested remotely sensed rainfall data in order to drive a model for Costa Rica, and we evaluated the simulations against evapotranspiration satellite products. We found that our model was able to reasonably simulate the water balance and streamflow dynamics of over 600 catchments where the satellite data helped to reduce the model uncertainties.
In the humid tropics, a notoriously data-scarce region, we need to find alternatives in order to...
