Accuracy of sedimentgraph modeling from topography map scale and DEM mesh size

Abstract

The evaluation of scale effects on modeling performance of sedimentgraphs as the ultimate outputs of the hydrological simulation is vital for adaptive watershed management. The present study therefore analyzed effectability of simulated sedimentgraphs components in association with different topographic maps with various vector scales. The whole procedure was materialized to select the critical scale and cell size for the Galazchai Watershed, Iran. To this end, the stormwise sedimentgraphs were modeled for 23 recorded events using the Clark's Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph (IUH) model stemmed for developing Instantaneous Unit Sedimentgraphs (IUSGs) incorporated with dimensionless sediment concentration distribution (DSCD) based on the vector scales of 1:25000, 1:50000, 1:100000 and 1:250000 and cell sizes of 5, 10, 20 30, 50, 100 and 200 m. Some 644 direct sedimentgraphs (DSGs) were then evaluated based on Relative Errors (REs) for sediment volume, peak sediment, time to peak, base time and the Coefficient of Efficiency (CE). The results confirmed that REs for peak sediment, time to peak and CE were sensitive to cell size. The results further verified that the cell sizes of 5, 20, 30, 50 and 100 m were critical cell sizes in viewpoint of time to peak. In addition, the vector scales of 1:50000 with cell size of 50 m, and 1:100000 with cell sizes of 5 and 10 m were critical vector scales and cell sizes based on RMSE evaluation criterion. It is concluded from the current research that the accuracy of simulation of sedimentgraph was influenced by map scales and mesh sizes.