Abstract
Abstract. This study aims to identify both hydrologically and physically similar catchments which would be the best donors for runoff prediction in ungauged catchments. For this study, eight gauged catchments located in the semi-humid and semi-arid regions of Northern China were used. Hydrological similarity was defined based on the transferability of coaxial correlation diagrams. The physical similarity among catchments was determined by a weighted Euclidean distance based on 19 catchment descriptors including catchment topography, land cover, and soil type. The overlap between hydrologically similar catchments and physically similar catchments was then analysed to identify the best donors. The results suggest that six catchments were hydrologically similar, of which four catchments were both hydrologically and physically similar. It is argued that once a reliable coaxial correlation diagram has been established, the coaxial correlation diagram can be transferred from one catchment to another for runoff prediction, provided that these catchments are physical similar.
Highlights
The derivation of relationships between rainfall and the resulting runoff is a fundamental problem for the hydrologist (Rui, 2013a)
The results suggest that the coaxial correlation diagram performed well with the Qualified Rate (QR) values no less than 85% except for Banqiao with a QR value of between 60% and 70% and Maduwang with a QR value of between 70% and 85%
The results suggest that the rainfall–runoff response of six catchments (Zhidan, Zijingguan, Zhangjiakou, Dage, Daiying, and Xiahui) could be represented by one common integrated coaxial correlation diagram
Summary
The derivation of relationships between rainfall and the resulting runoff is a fundamental problem for the hydrologist (Rui, 2013a). Flow data are generally required for a reliable estimation of the relationship. This excludes a large number of locations where insufficient or no streamflow measurements are available. The most intuitive regionalization method is to identify similar or proxy catchments, and transfer a model parameter set calibrated on a gauged donor catchment to the target catchment (Sivapalan, 2003; He, 2011). Catchments having apparently similar physical characteristics are assumed to have a similar hydrological behaviour in these studies. This is not absolutely true in many cases (Oudin, 2010). Hydrological similarity is generally defined on the basis of parameter transferability, runoff yield, flow duration curves, or baseflow indices, etc.
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