Simulation of the hydrologic cycle using atmospheric water vapor transport data

Abstract

To extract useful hydrologic information from existing meteorological observations, a recently developed simulation procedure for four experimental drainage basins (size ranging from 51,800 to 151,028 km 2) of the U.S.A. is presented in this paper. In addition to generating and verifying the mean monthly hydrometeorological time series for a 5-year period, an attempt is made to extend mean monthly hydrometeorological components for a period of 26 years using a longer span of the available historical precipitation and runoff time series. The final outcome of the computerized simulation program provides the extreme values (with five selected return periods) for two atmospheric components (atmospheric moisture transport and precipitable water) and for four hydrologic time series (precipitation, runoff, evapotranspiration and change in terrestrial storage). These maximum and minimum values are expected to be useful in developing various criteria while planning the large-scale water resource projects on flood routing, land drainage, irrigation, erosion protection, navigation, water power utilization and water supply.