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Framework for event-based semidistributed modeling that unifies the SCS-CN method, VIC, PDM, and TOPMODEL

Publication ,  Journal Article
Bartlett, MS; Parolari, AJ; McDonnell, JJ; Porporato, A
Published in: Water Resources Research
September 1, 2016

Hydrologists and engineers may choose from a range of semidistributed rainfall-runoff models such as VIC, PDM, and TOPMODEL, all of which predict runoff from a distribution of watershed properties. However, these models are not easily compared to event-based data and are missing ready-to-use analytical expressions that are analogous to the SCS-CN method. The SCS-CN method is an event-based model that describes the runoff response with a rainfall-runoff curve that is a function of the cumulative storm rainfall and antecedent wetness condition. Here we develop an event-based probabilistic storage framework and distill semidistributed models into analytical, event-based expressions for describing the rainfall-runoff response. The event-based versions called VICx, PDMx, and TOPMODELx also are extended with a spatial description of the runoff concept of “prethreshold” and “threshold-excess” runoff, which occur, respectively, before and after infiltration exceeds a storage capacity threshold. For total storm rainfall and antecedent wetness conditions, the resulting ready-to-use analytical expressions define the source areas (fraction of the watershed) that produce runoff by each mechanism. They also define the probability density function (PDF) representing the spatial variability of runoff depths that are cumulative values for the storm duration, and the average unit area runoff, which describes the so-called runoff curve. These new event-based semidistributed models and the traditional SCS-CN method are unified by the same general expression for the runoff curve. Since the general runoff curve may incorporate different model distributions, it may ease the way for relating such distributions to land use, climate, topography, ecology, geology, and other characteristics.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Water Resources Research

DOI

EISSN

1944-7973

ISSN

0043-1397

Publication Date

September 1, 2016

Volume

52

Issue

9

Start / End Page

7036 / 7052

Related Subject Headings

  • Environmental Engineering
  • 4011 Environmental engineering
  • 4005 Civil engineering
  • 3707 Hydrology
  • 0907 Environmental Engineering
  • 0905 Civil Engineering
  • 0406 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience
 

Citation

APA
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ICMJE
MLA
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Bartlett, M. S., Parolari, A. J., McDonnell, J. J., & Porporato, A. (2016). Framework for event-based semidistributed modeling that unifies the SCS-CN method, VIC, PDM, and TOPMODEL. Water Resources Research, 52(9), 7036–7052. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR019084
Bartlett, M. S., A. J. Parolari, J. J. McDonnell, and A. Porporato. “Framework for event-based semidistributed modeling that unifies the SCS-CN method, VIC, PDM, and TOPMODEL.” Water Resources Research 52, no. 9 (September 1, 2016): 7036–52. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR019084.
Bartlett MS, Parolari AJ, McDonnell JJ, Porporato A. Framework for event-based semidistributed modeling that unifies the SCS-CN method, VIC, PDM, and TOPMODEL. Water Resources Research. 2016 Sep 1;52(9):7036–52.
Bartlett, M. S., et al. “Framework for event-based semidistributed modeling that unifies the SCS-CN method, VIC, PDM, and TOPMODEL.” Water Resources Research, vol. 52, no. 9, Sept. 2016, pp. 7036–52. Scopus, doi:10.1002/2016WR019084.
Bartlett MS, Parolari AJ, McDonnell JJ, Porporato A. Framework for event-based semidistributed modeling that unifies the SCS-CN method, VIC, PDM, and TOPMODEL. Water Resources Research. 2016 Sep 1;52(9):7036–7052.
Journal cover image

Published In

Water Resources Research

DOI

EISSN

1944-7973

ISSN

0043-1397

Publication Date

September 1, 2016

Volume

52

Issue

9

Start / End Page

7036 / 7052

Related Subject Headings

  • Environmental Engineering
  • 4011 Environmental engineering
  • 4005 Civil engineering
  • 3707 Hydrology
  • 0907 Environmental Engineering
  • 0905 Civil Engineering
  • 0406 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience