Watershed Modelling

Exercise 2: CONCEPTUAL WATERSHED MODELLING

Autumn Semester 2020

ETH Zürich

Watershed Modelling - Exercise 2 1

 Content
Conduct a streamflow modelling analysis of your assigned watershed in the Bern
Oberland region with a simple conceptual watershed model at the daily scale.
Perform automatic calibration of the parameters, validation of the model, and
analyze local/global parameter sensitivity.
ET P M Qs
S: soil water storage (mm)
Smax: maximum capacity of the soil water storage reservoir (mm)
dS Sgw: groundwater storage (mm)
S  P  M  ET  Perc
dt
S max P: precipitation (mm d-1)
Perc M: snowmelt (mm d-1)
ET: evapotranspiration (mm d-1)
Perc: percolation (mm d-1)
S gw
Qgw Qs: surface runoff (mm d-1)
Qgw: groundwater runoff (mm d-1)

Watershed Modelling – Exercise 2 2

 Developing a daily water balance model (WEEK 1)
 Apply the 4-parameter lumped water balance model from the lecture to your
basin with the provided climatic data.
 Adjust parameters manually to get a visually good fit.
 Analyze the basin annual water balance.
 Improve the 4-parameter model by changing or adding one feature or
hydrological component.

Watershed Modelling – Exercise 2 3

 Calibration/validation of the water balance model (WEEK 2)
 Calibrate the parameters of the model.
 Validate the model.

Local/global parameter sensitivity (WEEK 3)

 Conduct a local sensitivity test to the model’s parameters.
 Conduct a global sensitivity test to the inputs and parameters of the model.
 Fine-tune the model parameters following the results of the sensitivity test.

Watershed Modelling – Exercise 2 4

 Matlab
 Use Matlab version 2019a or newer.
 Include the Financial Toolbox and Global Optimization Toolbox when you
install the software.
 The WatBal model is coded in two files:
 WatBal.m – is the model envelope that includes reading the inputs to the
model, pre-processing them and model initialization.
 WatBal_core.m – a function that receives climatic and hydrological
variables and parameters as inputs, computes the water balance at daily
steps and the Goodness-of-Fit (model outputs).

Watershed Modelling – Exercise 2 5

 WatBal model
% Compute Snow melt
if T_b(i) > Tsm
M(i) = min(k*(T_b(i)-Tsm),SC(i-1));
end
% Compute Snow cover (SC)
SC(i) = SC(i-1) - M(i) + S(i);
% Compute ET with routine by Hamon
if T_b(i) > 0
delta = 0.4093*sin((2*pi/365)*Jday(i)-1.405);
omega_s = acos(-tan(2*pi*Lat/360).*tan(delta));
Nt = 24*omega_s/pi;
es = PETa*exp(PETb*T_b(i)./(T_b(i)+PETc));
PET(i) =(2.1*(Nt.^2).*es)./(T_b(i)+273.3);
ET(i)=(Ss(i-1)./Smax).*PET(i);
end

Watershed Modelling – Exercise 2 6

 WatBal model
 The model is set for the Latterbach catchment.
 But not yet calibrated!
 You should be able to run it as is (but – Matlab version, OS, etc.).
 You can use other software – e.g. Python, R – if you would like (should be self-
coded).
 Example – How to run the model.

Watershed Modelling – Exercise 2 7

 Developing a daily water balance model (WEEK 1)
 Apply the 4-parameter lumped water balance model
from the lecture to your basin with the provided
climatic data.
 Adjust parameters manually to get a visually good fit.
 Analyze the basin annual water balance. Remember
– the model is not yet calibrated!
 Improve the 4-parameter model by changing or
adding one feature or hydrological component.

Watershed Modelling – Exercise 2 8