Evaluation of High-Resolution Satellite Rainfall Products through Streamflow Simulation in a Hydrological Modeling of a Small Mountainous Watershed in Ethiopia

• DOI: 10.1175/2011jhm1292.1
• Publication Date: 2011-09-20T19:57:58Z
• Authors: Menberu M. Bitew; Mekonnen Gebremic...; Lula T. Ghebremic...; Yared A. Bayissa
• Keywords: Hydrological modelling; SWAT model

Abstract This study focuses on evaluating four widely used global high-resolution satellite rainfall products [the Climate Prediction Center’s morphing technique (CMORPH) product, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) near-real-time product (3B42RT), TMPA method post-real-time research version (3B42), and Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN) product] with a spatial resolution of 0.25° temporal 3 h through their streamflow simulations in Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic model 299-km2 mountainous watershed Ethiopia. Results show significant biases estimates. The 3B42RT CMORPH perform better than 3B42 PERSIANN. predictive ability each was examined SWAT calibrated two different approaches: rain gauge as input, input. Significant improvements are obtained when is input-specific data data. Calibrating estimates results curve number values that by far higher standard tabulated values, therefore caution must be exercised parameter inputs. also reveals bias correction significantly improves simulations. best-performing based inputs after recalibration.