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Comparison of Process-Based and Temperature-Index Snowmelt Modeling in SWAT

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  • Bekele Debele
  • Raghavan Srinivasan
  • A. Gosain

Abstract

Snowmelt hydrology is an important part of hydrological analyses where significant proportion of precipitation is expected to fall in a snow form. Many models have long been introduced to enable the simulation of snowmelt processes in the watershed ranging from simple temperature based equations to complex and sophisticated process-based equations. Usually, mixed results have been reported whether or not the difference between results achieved by incorporating data demanding models vis-à-vis simple temperature-index models is justifiable. In this study, we compared the performances of physically based energy budget and simpler temperature-index based snowmelt calculation approaches within the SWAT model at three sites in two different continents. The results indicate insignificant differences between the two approaches. The temperature-index based snowmelt computation method had the overall model efficiency coefficients ranging from 0.49 to 0.73 while the energy budget based approach had efficiency coefficients ranging from 0.33 to 0.59 only. The magnitude of the differences varied based on where the models were applied. However, comparison between two process-based snowmelt estimation procedures (with and without the inclusion of aspect and slope as factors dictating the incoming solar energy) indicate that accounting for ground surface slope and aspect in the snowmelt model slightly improved the results. We conclude that for most practical applications where net solar radiation, not turbulent heat flux, dominates the snowmelt dynamics, a simpler temperature-index snowmelt estimation model is sufficient. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010

Suggested Citation

  • Bekele Debele & Raghavan Srinivasan & A. Gosain, 2010. "Comparison of Process-Based and Temperature-Index Snowmelt Modeling in SWAT," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(6), pages 1065-1088, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:24:y:2010:i:6:p:1065-1088
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-009-9486-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Manohar Arora & Pratap Singh & N. Goel & R. Singh, 2008. "Climate Variability Influences on Hydrological Responses of a Large Himalayan Basin," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 22(10), pages 1461-1475, October.
    2. Jueyi Sui & Gero Koehler, 2007. "Impacts of Snowmelt on Peak Flows in a Forest Watershed," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 21(8), pages 1263-1275, August.
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    1. Meiyan Yu & Xi Chen & Lanhai Li & Anming Bao & Mupenzi Paix, 2011. "Streamflow Simulation by SWAT Using Different Precipitation Sources in Large Arid Basins with Scarce Raingauges," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 25(11), pages 2669-2681, September.
    2. Junyu Qi & Sheng Li & Qi Yang & Zisheng Xing & Fan-Rui Meng, 2017. "SWAT Setup with Long-Term Detailed Landuse and Management Records and Modification for a Micro-Watershed Influenced by Freeze-Thaw Cycles," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(12), pages 3953-3974, September.
    3. Peng Shi & Chao Chen & Ragahavan Srinivasan & Xuesong Zhang & Tao Cai & Xiuqin Fang & Simin Qu & Xi Chen & Qiongfang Li, 2011. "Evaluating the SWAT Model for Hydrological Modeling in the Xixian Watershed and a Comparison with the XAJ Model," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 25(10), pages 2595-2612, August.
    4. Deepak Srivastava & Amit Kumar & Akshaya Verma & Siddharth Swaroop, 2014. "Analysis of Climate and Melt-runoff in Dunagiri Glacier of Garhwal Himalaya (India)," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(10), pages 3035-3055, August.
    5. Bentolhoda Asl-Rousta & S. Jamshid Mousavi & Majid Ehtiat & Mehdi Ahmadi, 2018. "SWAT-Based Hydrological Modelling Using Model Selection Criteria," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 32(6), pages 2181-2197, April.
    6. Li Jiang & Enjun Ma & Xiangzheng Deng, 2014. "Impacts of Irrigation on the Heat Fluxes and Near-Surface Temperature in an Inland Irrigation Area of Northern China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-18, March.
    7. Junyu Qi & Sheng Li & Qiang Li & Zisheng Xing & Charles P.-A. Bourque & Fan-Rui Meng, 2016. "Assessing an Enhanced Version of SWAT on Water Quantity and Quality Simulation in Regions with Seasonal Snow Cover," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(14), pages 5021-5037, November.
    8. Peng Shi & Xinxin Ma & Yuanbing Hou & Qiongfang Li & Zhicai Zhang & Simin Qu & Chao Chen & Tao Cai & Xiuqin Fang, 2013. "Effects of Land-Use and Climate Change on Hydrological Processes in the Upstream of Huai River, China," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(5), pages 1263-1278, March.
    9. Kazi Rahman & Chetan Maringanti & Martin Beniston & Florian Widmer & Karim Abbaspour & Anthony Lehmann, 2013. "Streamflow Modeling in a Highly Managed Mountainous Glacier Watershed Using SWAT: The Upper Rhone River Watershed Case in Switzerland," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(2), pages 323-339, January.
    10. Yongchao Duan & Min Luo & Xiufeng Guo & Peng Cai & Fu Li, 2021. "Study on the Relationship between Snowmelt Runoff for Different Latitudes and Vegetation Growth Based on an Improved SWAT Model in Xinjiang, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-26, January.
    11. Ryan MacDonald & James Byrne & Sarah Boon & Stefan Kienzle, 2012. "Modelling the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Snowpack in the North Saskatchewan River Watershed, Alberta," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(11), pages 3053-3076, September.
    12. G. Harik & I. Alameddine & M. Abou Najm & M. El-Fadel, 2023. "Modified SWAT to Forecast Water Availability in Mediterranean Mountainous Watersheds with Snowmelt Dominated Runoff," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 37(5), pages 1985-2000, March.
    13. Halecki, Wiktor & Kruk, Edyta & Ryczek, Marek, 2018. "Loss of topsoil and soil erosion by water in agricultural areas: A multi-criteria approach for various land use scenarios in the Western Carpathians using a SWAT model," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 363-372.

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