HR: 0800h
AN: H21A-0198    [Abstracts]
TI: Calibration Of The Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) Model For Streamflow Estimation Along The Upper Assiniboine River Basin
AU: * Agboma, C O
EM: agboma@engr.mun.ca
AF: Memorial University, Box#80, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3X5, Canada
AU: Snelgrove, K R
EM: ksnelgrove@engr.mun.ca
AB: The Canadian Prairie is characterized by slightly complex hydrological processes that lend much of the explanation to the previous unsuccessful hydrological modelling studies that had been undertaken in this region. In order to comprehend the dynamics of drought occurrence, persistence and termination on the Prairie, there is a need for an accurate quantification of the energy and water budgets within this region. Methods currently exist to assess basin budget studies based on atmospheric analysis; however, it is important that land surface budgets support these results in order to understand surface influences on drought evolution. Hydrological models equipped with energy closure solutions are suited to this role and currently, there are a number of these models available (e.g. MESH (formally WATCLASS), TOPLATS, VIC) and it is the goal of this research to evaluate a number of these to determine those most suited to the analysis of prairie drought. One such model, that is gaining considerable attention, generates runoff based on the Xinanjiang/Arno/VIC variable infiltration capacity concept. The Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model was selected for simulating streamflow and low flow over the 13,000km2 drainage catchment of the Upper Assiniboine Basin with its outlet at Kamsack. Pre-calibration stages of the VIC model revealed more fluxes being produced than required with frequent shifts in the amplitudes of peak flows when undertaking qualitative comparisons of the simulated and observed hydrographs for the various periods under investigation. To enhance the performance of this model, a Multi- Objective Complex Evolution (MOCOM-UA) scheme was applied to achieve its calibration. This technique is essentially based on three fundamental concepts; population, rank-based selection and competitive evolution (Yapo et al, 1998). The results obtained subsequent to the calibration of the VIC model support the conclusion that, with better parameter estimation of a distributed model; there is a significant improvement in its streamflow forecast accuracy.
DE: 1812 Drought
DE: 1836 Hydrological cycles and budgets (1218, 1655)
DE: 1847 Modeling
DE: 1879 Watershed
DE: 3333 Model calibration (1846)
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting