Hydrology

14 pages, 1168 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Development and Evaluation of a Water Quality Index for the Iraqi Rivers

by Salam Hussein Ewaid, Salwan Ali Abed, Nadhir Al-Ansari and Riyadh M. Salih

Hydrology 2020, 7(3), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology7030067 - 09 Sep 2020

Cited by 149 | Viewed by 10495

Water quality evaluation is fundamental for water resources management. Water quality index (WQI) is an accurate and easily understandable method for assessing water quality for different purposes. In this study, the Iraqi water quality index (Iraq WQI) was constructed to be used to [...] Read more.

Water quality evaluation is fundamental for water resources management. Water quality index (WQI) is an accurate and easily understandable method for assessing water quality for different purposes. In this study, the Iraqi water quality index (Iraq WQI) was constructed to be used to evaluate the Iraqi rivers for drinking. For this purpose, some statistical techniques, experts’ advice, literature reviews, and authors’ experience were used. First, the principal component analysis (PCA) method and the modified Delphi method were used to select the most influential water quality parameters and their relative weights. Second, the quality curves of selected parameters were drawn to calculate the WQI scores basing on the water quality standards. Of twenty-seven parameters, six parameters were chosen to be within the index depending on their effect on water quality in order to reflect the specific characteristics of the Iraqi waters. The Iraq WQI was applied to the Tigris River within Baghdad as a case study and for some sites on other Iraqi rivers, and gave acceptable results. Results revealed that the statistical techniques used in this paper can be applied in all Iraqi rivers considering their specific characteristics. Based on the reliability of the Iraq WQI, there is no longer a need to use Indices designed for water for other countries. Full article

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24 pages, 5683 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Long-Term Groundwater Level Prediction Model Based on Hybrid KNN-RF Technique

by Omar Haji Kombo, Santhi Kumaran, Yahya H. Sheikh, Alastair Bovim and Kayalvizhi Jayavel

Hydrology 2020, 7(3), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology7030059 - 18 Aug 2020

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 5292

Abstract

Reliable seasonal prediction of groundwater levels is not always possible when the quality and the amount of available on-site groundwater data are limited. In the present work, a hybrid K-Nearest Neighbor-Random Forest (KNN-RF) is used for the prediction of variations in groundwater levels [...] Read more.

Reliable seasonal prediction of groundwater levels is not always possible when the quality and the amount of available on-site groundwater data are limited. In the present work, a hybrid K-Nearest Neighbor-Random Forest (KNN-RF) is used for the prediction of variations in groundwater levels (L) of an aquifer with the groundwater relatively close to the surface (<10 m) is proposed. First, the time-series smoothing methods are applied to improve the quality of groundwater data. Then, the ensemble K-Nearest Neighbor-Random Forest (KNN-RF) model is treated using hydro-climatic data for the prediction of variations in the levels of the groundwater tables up to three months ahead. Climatic and groundwater data collected from eastern Rwanda were used for validation of the model on a rolling window basis. Potential predictors were: the observed daily mean temperature (T), precipitation (P), and daily maximum solar radiation (S). Previous day’s precipitation P (t − 1), solar radiation S (t), temperature T (t), and groundwater level L (t) showed the highest variation in the fluctuations of the groundwater tables. The KNN-RF model presents its results in an intelligible manner. Experimental results have confirmed the high performance of the proposed model in terms of root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), Nash–Sutcliffe (NSE), and coefficient of determination (R²). Full article

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21 pages, 4408 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Dimensionless Stage-Discharge Relationship for a Non-Linear Water Reservoir: Theory and Experiments

by Giorgio Baiamonte

Hydrology 2020, 7(2), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology7020023 - 10 Apr 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4093

Abstract

In the field of hydrology, stage–discharge relationships are commonly used to estimate the discharge at the basin outlet or by experimental plots. Many experimental efforts have been made in order to derive stage–discharge relationships, according to the Buckingham theorem and dimensional analysis, for [...] Read more.

In the field of hydrology, stage–discharge relationships are commonly used to estimate the discharge at the basin outlet or by experimental plots. Many experimental efforts have been made in order to derive stage–discharge relationships, according to the Buckingham theorem and dimensional analysis, for a multiplicity of gauge geometry. However, these relationships require experimental and physical meaningless numerical coefficients, thus they need extended calibration. The latter issue merits attention, since the empirical coefficients can be applied when the experimental conditions are strictly reproduced in the field. The aim of this paper is to derive a theoretically based stage–discharge relationship of a non-linear water reservoir that requires limited calibration, by using the continuity equation and the principle of conservation of energy. An analysis was performed using a rectangular water tank with a hole at the bottom. However, the suggested approach can be similarly used for tank geometries that differ from the example used in this study. Since the proposed approach is purely hydraulic, only limited calibration of the physical meaningful discharge coefficient characteristic of the hole is needed. A tank design procedure is suggested, and different theoretical and experimental applications of the proposed methodology are performed and discussed. For the considered cases, the mass water balance was also checked. Full article

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10 pages, 236 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Mathematical Treatment of Saturated Macroscopic Flow in Heterogeneous Porous Medium: Evaluating Darcy’s Law

by R. William Nelson and Gustavious P. Williams

Hydrology 2020, 7(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology7010004 - 31 Dec 2019

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2455

Abstract

We present a rigorous mathematical treatment of water flow in saturated heterogeneous porous media based on the classical Navier-Stokes formulation that includes vorticity in a heterogeneous porous media. We used the mathematical approach proposed in 1855 by James Clark Maxwell. We show that [...] Read more.

We present a rigorous mathematical treatment of water flow in saturated heterogeneous porous media based on the classical Navier-Stokes formulation that includes vorticity in a heterogeneous porous media. We used the mathematical approach proposed in 1855 by James Clark Maxwell. We show that flow in heterogeneous media results in a flow field described by a heterogeneous complex lamellar vector field with rotational flows, compared to the homogeneous lamellar flow field that results from Darcy’s law. This analysis shows that Darcy’s Law does not accurately describe flow in a heterogeneous porous medium and we encourage precise laboratory experiments to determine under what conditions these issues are important. We publish this work to encourage others to perform numerical and laboratory experiments to determine the circumstances in which this derivation is applicable, and in which the complications can be disregarded. Full article

15 pages, 1281 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Hydrological Model for Sustainable Development in the Aral Sea Region

by Vladimir F. Krapivin, Ferdenant A. Mkrtchyan and Gilbert L. Rochon

Hydrology 2019, 6(4), 91; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6040091 - 22 Oct 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 7442

Abstract

Possible scenarios of the Aral Sea crisis solution are discussed, and a new scenario is proposed. Previous scenarios have provided for the transfer of water from Siberian Rivers to Central Asia and the restriction of unsustainable expansion of irrigation in this region. The [...] Read more.

Possible scenarios of the Aral Sea crisis solution are discussed, and a new scenario is proposed. Previous scenarios have provided for the transfer of water from Siberian Rivers to Central Asia and the restriction of unsustainable expansion of irrigation in this region. The scenario proposed in this paper is partly based on the use of Caspian water evaporators located on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea. Engineering realization of this scenario needs only the construction of the drainage system for the runoff of Caspian waters to the natural evaporators, between which Kara-Bogaz-Gol is the functioning evaporator. This paper shows that realization of this scenario allows the rescue of the Aral Sea and normalization of the water balance in Central Asia. Under this, as the simulation modeling results show, there exist different versions of the scenario depending on the area of evaporators and restrictions for the runoff of Amu Darya and Syr Darya waters to the irrigation systems. Calculation results show that the Aral Sea could be restored within 90–240 years depending on the scenario versions. With only Kara-Bogaz-Gol as the evaporator, the Aral Sea cannot be restored within a century. Additionally, if the anthropogenic runoff of river waters was decreased by 10 percent, the Aral Sea would be restored over about 90 years. Possible versions of the recovery scenario are discussed and assessed. Full article

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20 pages, 4801 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Calibration of NSRP Models from Extreme Value Distributions

by Davide Luciano De Luca and Luciano Galasso

Hydrology 2019, 6(4), 89; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6040089 - 16 Oct 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3204

Abstract

In this work, the authors investigated the feasibility of calibrating a model which is suitable for the generation of continuous high-resolution rainfall series, by using only data from annual maximum rainfall (AMR) series, which are usually longer than continuous high-resolution data, or they [...] Read more.

In this work, the authors investigated the feasibility of calibrating a model which is suitable for the generation of continuous high-resolution rainfall series, by using only data from annual maximum rainfall (AMR) series, which are usually longer than continuous high-resolution data, or they are the unique available data set for many locations. In detail, the basic version of the Neyman–Scott Rectangular Pulses (NSRP) model was considered, and numerical experiments were carried out, in order to analyze which parameters can mostly influence the extreme value frequency distributions, and whether heavy rainfall reproduction can be improved with respect to the usual calibration with continuous data. The obtained results were highly promising, as the authors found acceptable relationships among extreme value distributions and statistical properties of intensity and duration for the pulses. Moreover, the proposed procedure is flexible, and it is clearly applicable for a generic rainfall generator, in which probability distributions and shape of the pulses, and extreme value distributions can assume any mathematical expression. Full article

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22 pages, 1239 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Doing Hydrology Backwards—Analytic Solution Connecting Streamflow Oscillations at the Basin Outlet to Average Evaporation on a Hillslope

by Morgan Fonley, Ricardo Mantilla and Rodica Curtu

Hydrology 2019, 6(4), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6040085 - 04 Oct 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3069

Abstract

The concept of doing hydrology backwards, introduced in the literature in the last decade, relies on the possibility to invert the equations relating streamflow fluctuations at the catchment outlet to estimated hydrological forcings throughout the basin. In this work, we use a recently [...] Read more.

The concept of doing hydrology backwards, introduced in the literature in the last decade, relies on the possibility to invert the equations relating streamflow fluctuations at the catchment outlet to estimated hydrological forcings throughout the basin. In this work, we use a recently developed set of equations connecting streamflow oscillations at the catchment outlet to baseflow oscillations at the hillslope scale. The hillslope-scale oscillations are then used to infer the pattern of evaporation needed for streamflow oscillations to occur. The inversion is illustrated using two conceptual models of movement of water in the subsurface with different levels of complexity, but still simple enough to demonstrate our approach. Our work is limited to environments where diel oscillations in streamflow are a strong signal in streamflow data. We demonstrate our methodology by applying it to data collected in the Dry Creek Experimental Watershed in Idaho and show that the hydrology backwards principles yield results that are well within the order of magnitude of daily evapotranspiration fluctuations. Our analytic results are generic and they encourage the development of experimental campaigns to validate integrated hydrological models and test implicit parameterization assumptions. Full article

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20 pages, 15171 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Flood Hazard Analysis of Proposed Regulator on Shatt Al-Arab River

by Ahmed Naseh Ahmed Hamdan, Abdulhussain A. Abbas and Alauldeen T. Najm

Hydrology 2019, 6(3), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6030080 - 03 Sep 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5448

Abstract

Recently, the Shatt Al-Arab River has suffered from increased salinization of its water due to the reduction of freshwater from its tributaries, mainly from the Tigris River, which has resulted in long-distance salinity intrusion. Therefore, there is a need to establish a regulator [...] Read more.

Recently, the Shatt Al-Arab River has suffered from increased salinization of its water due to the reduction of freshwater from its tributaries, mainly from the Tigris River, which has resulted in long-distance salinity intrusion. Therefore, there is a need to establish a regulator in the Abu-Flus district to prevent salt intrusion. The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of a proposed regulator on the Shatt Al-Arab River with simulations using the Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) model. The upstream boundary conditions were the daily discharges of Tigris River and the downstream boundary conditions were the hourly water stages of the Shatt Al-Arab River. The river model was operated by using the daily discharges recorded in 2014 for calibration and verification of the model. Then, a program operated with a suggested regulator and a flood wave assumed a 200 m³/s peak flow for a duration of 27 days. The flooding occurrence period of the flood wave was investigated under the effect of three study cases of regulator gates, which were fully open (case B1), tide gate (case B2), and fully closed (case B3). The results showed that flooding inundation occurred only in two cases (B2 and B3). These results will encourage the construction of the regulator considering certain precautions. Full article

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15 pages, 6119 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Copula-Based Bivariate Flood Risk Assessment on Tarbela Dam, Pakistan

by Saba Naz, Muhammad Ahsanuddin, Syed Inayatullah, Tanveer Ahmed Siddiqi and Muhammad Imtiaz

Hydrology 2019, 6(3), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6030079 - 30 Aug 2019

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 6696

Abstract

Flooding from the Indus river and its tributaries has regularly influenced the region of Pakistan. Therefore, in order to limit the misfortune brought about by these inevitable happenings, it requires taking measures to estimate the occurrence and effects of these events. The current [...] Read more.

Flooding from the Indus river and its tributaries has regularly influenced the region of Pakistan. Therefore, in order to limit the misfortune brought about by these inevitable happenings, it requires taking measures to estimate the occurrence and effects of these events. The current study uses flood frequency analysis for the forecast of floods along the Indus river of Pakistan (Tarbela). The peak and volume are the characteristics of a flood that commonly depend on one another. For progressively proficient hazard investigation, a bivariate copula method is used to measure the peak and volume. A univariate analysis of flood data fails to capture the multivariate nature of these data. Copula is the most common technique used for a multivariate analysis of flood data. In this paper, four Archimedean copulas have been tried using the available information, and in light of graphical and measurable tests, the Gumbel Hougaard copula was found to be most appropriate for the data used in this paper. The primary (T^AND, T^OR), conditional and Kendall return periods have been also determined. The copula method was found to be a powerful method for the distribution of marginal variables. It also gives the Kendall return period for the multivariate analysis the consequences of flooding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Flood Early Warning: Ensemble Forecast, Information Dissemination and Decision-Support Systems)

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22 pages, 2702 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

A Simplistic Approach for Assessing Hydroclimatic Vulnerability of Lakes and Reservoirs with Regulated Superficial Outflow

by Kleoniki Demertzi, Dimitris Papadimos, Vassilis Aschonitis and Dimitris Papamichail

Hydrology 2019, 6(3), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6030061 - 20 Jul 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3092

Abstract

This study proposes a simplistic model for assessing the hydroclimatic vulnerability of lakes/reservoirs (LRs) that preserve their steady-state conditions based on regulated superficial discharge (Q_d) out of the LR drainage basin. The model is a modification of the Bracht-Flyr et [...] Read more.

This study proposes a simplistic model for assessing the hydroclimatic vulnerability of lakes/reservoirs (LRs) that preserve their steady-state conditions based on regulated superficial discharge (Q_d) out of the LR drainage basin. The model is a modification of the Bracht-Flyr et al. method that was initially proposed for natural lakes in closed basins with no superficial discharge outside the basin (Q_d = 0) and under water-limited environmental conditions {mean annual ratio of potential/reference evapotranspiration (ET_o) versus rainfall (P) greater than 1}. In the proposed modified approach, an additional Q_d function is included. The modified model is applied using as a case study the Oreastiada Lake, which is located inside the Kastoria basin in Greece. Six years of observed data of P, ET_o, Q_d, and lake topography were used to calibrate the modified model based on the current conditions. The calibrated model was also used to assess the future lake conditions based on the future climatic projections (mean conditions of 2061-2080) derived by 19 general circulation models (GCMs) for three cases of climate change (three cases of Representative Concentration Pathways: RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). The modified method can be used as a diagnostic tool in water-limited environments for analyzing the superficial discharge changes of LRs under different climatic conditions and to support the design of new management strategies for mitigating the impact of climate change on (a) flooding conditions, (b) hydroelectric production, (c) irrigation/industrial/domestic use and (d) minimum ecological flows to downstream rivers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Integrated Watershed Modeling: Emerging Water Issues under Changing Land Use and Climate)

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17 pages, 2780 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effects of Bias-Correcting Climate Model Data on the Projection of Future Changes in High Flows

by Vanessa Wörner, Phillip Kreye and Günter Meon

Hydrology 2019, 6(2), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6020046 - 04 Jun 2019

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3923

Abstract

Bias-correction methods are commonly applied to climate model data in hydrological climate impact studies. This is due to the often large deviations between simulated and observed climate variables. These biases may cause unrealistic simulation results when directly using the climate model data as [...] Read more.

Bias-correction methods are commonly applied to climate model data in hydrological climate impact studies. This is due to the often large deviations between simulated and observed climate variables. These biases may cause unrealistic simulation results when directly using the climate model data as input for hydrological models. Our analysis of the EURO-CORDEX (Coordinated Downscaling Experiment for Europe) data for the Northwestern part of Germany showed substantial biases for all climatological input variables needed by the hydrological model PANTA RHEI. The sensitivity for climatological input data demonstrated that changes in only one climate variable significantly affect the simulated average discharge and mean annual peak flow. The application of bias correction methods of different complexity on the climate model data improved the plausibility of hydrological modeling results for the historical period 1971–2000. The projections for the future period 2069–2099 for high flows indicate on average small changes for representative concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 and an increase of approximately 10% for RCP8.5 when applying non-bias corrected climate model data. These values significantly differed when applying bias correction. The bias correction methods were evaluated in terms of their ability to (a) maintain the change signal for precipitation and (b) the goodness of fit for hydrological parameters for the historical period. Our results for this evaluation indicated that no bias correction method can explicitly be preferred over the others. Full article

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14 pages, 2486 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

An Assessment of Woody Plant Water Source Studies from across the Globe: What Do We Know after 30 Years of Research and Where Do We Go from Here?

by Md. Shawkat I. Sohel, Mohammed Abdus Salam and John Herbohn

Hydrology 2019, 6(2), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6020040 - 21 May 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3896

Abstract

In the face of global climate change, water availability and its impact on forest productivity is becoming an increasingly important issue. It is therefore necessary to evaluate the advancement of research in this field and to set new research priorities. A systematic literature [...] Read more.

In the face of global climate change, water availability and its impact on forest productivity is becoming an increasingly important issue. It is therefore necessary to evaluate the advancement of research in this field and to set new research priorities. A systematic literature review was performed to evaluate the spatiotemporal dynamics of global research on woody plant water sources and to determine a future research agenda. Most of the reviewed studies were from the United States, followed by China and Australia. The research indicates that there is a clear variation in woody plant water sources in forests due to season, climate, leaf phenology, and method of measurement. Much of the research focus has been on identifying plant water sources using a single isotope approach. Much less focus has been given to the nexus between water source and tree size, tree growth, drought, water use efficiency, agroforestry systems, groundwater interactions, and many other topics. Therefore, a new set of research priorities has been proposed that will address these gaps under different vegetation and climate conditions. Once these issues are resolved, the research can inform forest process studies in new ways. Full article

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22 pages, 22728 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

UAV Monitoring of Stream Restorations

by Jakub Langhammer

Hydrology 2019, 6(2), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6020029 - 28 Mar 2019

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 8251

Abstract

This study examines the potential and limits of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) applicability for the monitoring of stream restoration in an urban environment. UAV imaging was used for long-term post-restoration monitoring of an urban stream. The monitoring was aimed to track the [...] Read more.

This study examines the potential and limits of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) applicability for the monitoring of stream restoration in an urban environment. UAV imaging was used for long-term post-restoration monitoring of an urban stream. The monitoring was aimed to track the stream changes significant for the assessment of the restoration success, such as the compliance of the restoration to the plan, stability and evolution of the stream channel, or changes in stream and riparian habitats. The recurrent imaging campaigns in the restored segment of Hostavicky brook in Prague, The Czech Republic, were undertaken for three years since the restoration using the DJI Inspire 1 Pro platform. The UAV monitoring revealed that the new stream pattern substantially differs from the proposed restoration plan. Despite this, the new channel has proved stability, supported by intense grassing of the floodplain, resulting in only marginal evolution of the restored channel. The new channel proved the ability to mitigate the course of a significant flood event without significant flood spills outside the riparian zone. The UAV monitoring also revealed intense eutrophication in newly created shallow ponds with insufficient drainage. The research proved that UAV imaging is a unique source of spatial data, providing reliable information for quantitative and qualitative assessment of the stream restoration progress and success. Full article

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14 pages, 2298 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceCase Report

Improving Urban Runoff in Multi-Basin Hydrological Simulation by the HYPE Model Using EEA Urban Atlas: A Case Study in the Sege River Basin, Sweden

by Hiroto Tanouchi, Jonas Olsson, Göran Lindström, Akira Kawamura and Hideo Amaguchi

Hydrology 2019, 6(1), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6010028 - 21 Mar 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4776

Abstract

In this study, the high-resolution polygonal land cover data of EEA Urban Atlas was applied for land-use characterization in the dynamic multi-basin hydrological model, HYPE. The objective of the study was to compare this dedicated urban land cover data in semi-distributed hydrological modelling [...] Read more.

In this study, the high-resolution polygonal land cover data of EEA Urban Atlas was applied for land-use characterization in the dynamic multi-basin hydrological model, HYPE. The objective of the study was to compare this dedicated urban land cover data in semi-distributed hydrological modelling with the widely used but less detailed EEA CORINE. The model was set up for a basin including a small town named Svedala in southern Sweden. In order to verify the ability of the HYPE model to reproduce the observed flow rate, the simulated flow rate was evaluated based on river flow time series, statistical indicators and flow duration curves. Flow rate simulated by the model based on Urban Atlas generally agreed better with observations of summer storm events than the CORINE-based model, especially when the daily rainfall amount was 10 mm/day or more, or the flow exceedance probability was 0.02 to 0.5. It suggests that the added value of the Urban Atlas model is higher for heavy-to-medium storm events dominated by direct runoff. To conclude, the effectiveness of the proposed approach, which aims at improving the accuracy of hydrological simulations in urbanized basins, was supported. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Integrated Watershed Modeling: Emerging Water Issues under Changing Land Use and Climate)

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13 pages, 3333 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Real-Time Measurement of Flash-Flood in a Wadi Area by LSPIV and STIV

by Mahmood M. Al-mamari, Sameh A. Kantoush, Sohei Kobayashi, Tetsuya Sumi and Mohamed Saber

Hydrology 2019, 6(1), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6010027 - 20 Mar 2019

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 6321

Abstract

Flash floods in wadi systems discharge large volumes of water to either the sea or the desert areas after high-intensity rainfall events. Recently, wadi flash floods have frequently occurred in arid regions and caused damage to roads, houses, and properties. Therefore, monitoring and [...] Read more.

Flash floods in wadi systems discharge large volumes of water to either the sea or the desert areas after high-intensity rainfall events. Recently, wadi flash floods have frequently occurred in arid regions and caused damage to roads, houses, and properties. Therefore, monitoring and quantifying these events by accurately measuring wadi discharge has become important for the installation of mitigation structures and early warning systems. In this study, image-based methods were used to measure surface flow velocities during a wadi flash flood in 2018 to test the usefulness of large-scale particle image velocimetry (LSPIV) and space–time image velocimetry (STIV) techniques for the estimation of wadi discharge. The results, which indicated the positive performance of the image-based methods, strengthened our hypothesis that the application of LSPIV and STIV techniques is appropriate for the analysis of wadi flash flood velocities. STIV is suitable for unidirectional flow velocity and LSPIV is reliable and stable for two-dimensional measurement along the wadi channel, the direction of flow pattern which varies with time. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catchments Hydrology and Sediment Dynamics: Concepts, Measuring and Modelling)

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19 pages, 4245 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Modeling of GRACE-Derived Groundwater Information in the Colorado River Basin

by Md Mafuzur Rahaman, Balbhadra Thakur, Ajay Kalra and Sajjad Ahmad

Hydrology 2019, 6(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6010019 - 18 Feb 2019

Cited by 55 | Viewed by 6020

Abstract

Groundwater depletion has been one of the major challenges in recent years. Analysis of groundwater levels can be beneficial for groundwater management. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s twin satellite, Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), serves in monitoring terrestrial water storage. Increasing [...] Read more.

Groundwater depletion has been one of the major challenges in recent years. Analysis of groundwater levels can be beneficial for groundwater management. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s twin satellite, Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), serves in monitoring terrestrial water storage. Increasing freshwater demand amidst recent drought (2000–2014) posed a significant groundwater level decline within the Colorado River Basin (CRB). In the current study, a non-parametric technique was utilized to analyze historical groundwater variability. Additionally, a stochastic Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model was developed and tested to forecast the GRACE-derived groundwater anomalies within the CRB. The ARIMA model was trained with the GRACE data from January 2003 to December of 2013 and validated with GRACE data from January 2014 to December of 2016. Groundwater anomaly from January 2017 to December of 2019 was forecasted with the tested model. Autocorrelation and partial autocorrelation plots were drawn to identify and construct the seasonal ARIMA models. ARIMA order for each grid was evaluated based on Akaike’s and Bayesian information criterion. The error analysis showed the reasonable numerical accuracy of selected seasonal ARIMA models. The proposed models can be used to forecast groundwater variability for sustainable groundwater planning and management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing in Hydrological Modelling)

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14 pages, 3506 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

A Correlation–Scale–Threshold Method for Spatial Variability of Rainfall

by Bellie Sivakumar, Fitsum M. Woldemeskel, Rajendran Vignesh and Vinayakam Jothiprakash

Hydrology 2019, 6(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology6010011 - 23 Jan 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3595

Abstract

Rainfall data at fine spatial resolutions are often required for various studies in hydrology and water resources. However, such data are not widely available, as their collection is normally expensive and time-consuming. A common practice to obtain fine-spatial-resolution rainfall data is to employ [...] Read more.

Rainfall data at fine spatial resolutions are often required for various studies in hydrology and water resources. However, such data are not widely available, as their collection is normally expensive and time-consuming. A common practice to obtain fine-spatial-resolution rainfall data is to employ interpolation schemes to derive them based on data available at nearby locations. Such interpolation schemes are generally based on rainfall correlation or distance between stations. The present study proposes a combined rainfall correlation-spatial scale-correlation threshold method for representing spatial rainfall variability. The method is applied to monthly rainfall data at a resolution of 0.25° × 0.25° latitude/longitude across Australia, available from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM 3B43 version). The results indicate that rainfall dynamics in northern and northeastern Australia have far greater spatial correlations when compared to the other regions, especially in southern and southeastern Australia, suggesting that tropical climates generally have greater spatial rainfall correlations when compared to temperate, oceanic, and continental climates, subject to other influencing factors. The implications of the outcomes for rainfall data interpolation and the rain gauge monitoring network are also discussed, especially based on results obtained for ten major cities in Australia. Full article

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