Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-450
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-450
05 Sep 2019
 | 05 Sep 2019
Status: this preprint was under review for the journal HESS but the revision was not accepted.

Insights from a new methodology to optimize rain gauge weighting for rainfall-runoff models

Ashley J. Wright, David E. Robertson, Jeffrey P. Walker, and Valentijn R. N. Pauwels

Abstract. Floods continue to devastate societies and their economies. Resilient societies commonly incorporate flood forecasting into their strategy to mitigate the impact of floods. Hydrological models which simulate the rainfall-runoff process are at the core of flood forecasts. To date operational flood forecasting models use areal rainfall estimates that are based on geographical features. This paper introduces a new methodology to optimally blend the weighting of gauges for the purpose of obtaining superior flood forecasts. For a selection of 7 Australian catchments this methodology was able to yield improvements of 15.3 % and 7.1 % in optimization and evaluation periods respectively. Catchments with a low gauge density, or an overwhelming majority of gauges with a low proportion of observations available, are not well suited to this new methodology. Models which close the water balance and demonstrate internal model dynamics that are consistent with a conceptual understanding of the rainfall-runoff process yielded consistent improvement in streamflow simulation skill.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Ashley J. Wright, David E. Robertson, Jeffrey P. Walker, and Valentijn R. N. Pauwels
 
Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement
 
Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement
Ashley J. Wright, David E. Robertson, Jeffrey P. Walker, and Valentijn R. N. Pauwels
Ashley J. Wright, David E. Robertson, Jeffrey P. Walker, and Valentijn R. N. Pauwels

Viewed

Total article views: 1,721 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
1,314 354 53 1,721 69 77
  • HTML: 1,314
  • PDF: 354
  • XML: 53
  • Total: 1,721
  • BibTeX: 69
  • EndNote: 77
Views and downloads (calculated since 05 Sep 2019)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 05 Sep 2019)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 1,399 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 1,397 with geography defined and 2 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 06 Dec 2024
Download
Short summary
This paper details the development of a methodology to optimize the weighting of rainfall gauges for hydrologic simulation. In particular, catchments with a low gauge density and/or proportion of observations available are not well suited to this methodology. Application of this methodology with models that are consistent with a conceptual understanding of the rainfall-runoff process yield improvements of 7.1 % in evaluation periods.