Remotely sensed ET for streamflow modelling in catchments with contrasting flow characteristics: an attempt to improve efficiency

• DOI: 10.1007/s00477-018-1528-y
• Publication Date: 2018-03-14T03:09:38Z
• Authors: A. Kunnath-Poovakka; D. Ryu; L. J. Renzullo; B. George
• Keywords: SOIL-MOISTURE DATA; Remotely sensed (RS) data; Regionalization; 550; Evapotranspiration (ET); LEAF-AREA INDEX; 0207 environmental engineering; DREAM; 02 engineering and technology; 15. Life on land; UNGAUGED BASINS; RAINFALL-RUNOFF MODELS; SENSING DATA; 6. Clean water; DATA ASSIMILATION; 13. Climate action; Calibration; DISTRIBUTED HYDROLOGICAL MODEL; SATELLITE DATA; SOUTHEAST AUSTRALIA; PARAMETER-ESTIMATION

An efficient calibration with remotely sensed (RS) data is important for accurate predictions at ungauged catchments. This study investigates the advantages of streamflow-sensitive regionalization on calibration with RS evapotranspiration (ET). Regionalization experiments are performed at 28 catchments in Australia. The catchments are classified into three groups based on annual rainfall and runoff coefficients. Streamflow, RS ET, and a multi-objective RS ET-streamflow calibration are performed using the DiffeRential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis algorithm in each catchment. Simplified Australian Water Resource Assessment-Landscape model is calibrated for a selection of five parameters. Posterior probability distributions of parameters from three calibrations performed at donor catchments in each group are inspected to find the parameter for regionalization in the individual group. In group 1 of wetter catchments, regionalization of parameter FsoilEmax (soil evaporation scaling factor) helps to simplify the calibration without any deterioration in ET, soil moisture (SM) and streamflow predictions. Regionalization of parameter Beta (coefficient describing rate of hydraulic conductivity increase with water content) in group 2 assists to improve the streamflow predictions with no decrement in ET and SM predictions. However, regionalization is not able to provide satisfactory results in group 3. Group 3 includes low-yielding catchments, with average annual rainfall below 1000 mm/year and runoff coefficient less than 0.1, where traditional streamflow calibration also fails to produce accurate results. This study concludes that streamflow-sensitive regionalization is effective for improving the efficacy of RS ET calibration in wetter catchments.