Developing the snow component of a distributed hydrological model: a step-wise approach based on multi-objective analysis

Abstract

A snow component has been developed for the distributed hydrological model, DIY, using an approach that sequentially evaluates the behaviour of different functions as they are implemented in the model. The evaluation is performed using multi-objective functions to ensure that the internal structure of the model is correct. The development of the model, using a sub-catchment in the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland, demonstrated that the degree–day model can be enhanced for hydroclimatic conditions typical of those found in Scotland, without increasing meteorological data requirements. An important element of the snow model is a function to account for wind re-distribution. This causes large accumulations of snow in small pockets, which are shown to be important in sustaining baseflows in the rivers during the late spring and early summer, long after the snowpack has melted from the bulk of the catchment. The importance of the wind function would not have been identified using a single objective function of total streamflow to evaluate the model behaviour.