Abstract
A Hydrological model is proposed to study the spatial and temporal variability of the water budget components of large drainage basin systems from atmospheric and terrestrial water balances. In order to understand the water balances that include, surface runoff, actual evapotranspiration and soil moisture, a GIS-based simple water balance model which is referred as Hydrological Model from Hybrid Atmospheric and Terrestrial Water Balances with acronym HATWAB is presented. The spatio-temporal climatology database was created from a network of climate stations from CLIMWAT data base to reconstruct the monthly primary inputs to HATWAB model, rainfall and potential evapotranspiration. The modeling principles and HATWAB model are demonstrated using the Limpopo and Congo basins in Africa. The model was used to simulate water balance components by taking rainfall-runoff processes in the basin including soil-texture controlled moisture in the terrestrial system, and the vertical integrated moisture convergence that accounts for the net water vapor flux from the basins in order to close the hydrologic water budget.
Highlights
Hydrological modeling of large drainage basins is used to understand the complex hydrological processes that control the distribution and availability of hydrologic components and water resources availability in terms of atmospheric and terrestrial water balances
The specific benefits of HATWAB and the objectives presented in this manuscript include: 1) determining the available spatial and temporal hydro-climatic information and data gaps to undertake water budget study, which is based on available sparse data; 2) mapping the spatial and temporal variability of rainfall, effective rainfall and potential evapotranspiration a basin scale; 3) assessing the spatial and temporal variability basin water budget in terms of soil moisture, actual evapotranspiration, runoff, and vertically integrated moisture convergence
HATWAB, though simple in form and easy to implement with Fortran, it can be used to solve and answer basin water resources planning questions of determining water resources availability and distribution at a basin level with localized various spatial and temporal scales depending on the need
Summary
Hydrological modeling of large drainage basins is used to understand the complex hydrological processes that control the distribution and availability of hydrologic components and water resources availability in terms of atmospheric and terrestrial water balances It is principally undertaken through precipitation partitioning into surface and groundwater flows, soil moisture and evapotranspiration. The specific benefits of HATWAB and the objectives presented in this manuscript include: 1) determining the available spatial and temporal hydro-climatic information and data gaps to undertake water budget study, which is based on available sparse data; 2) mapping the spatial and temporal variability of rainfall, effective rainfall and potential evapotranspiration a basin scale; 3) assessing the spatial and temporal variability basin water budget in terms of soil moisture, actual evapotranspiration, runoff, and vertically integrated moisture convergence. By doing so a number applications of HATWAB can be sought that include mainly: 1) Assessment of water availability and distribution in a drainage basin; and 2) Assessment of climate change and large scale humaninduced changes
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