Toward improved calibration of watershed models: Multisite multiobjective measures of information

Abstract

This paper presents a computational framework for incorporation of disparate information from observed hydrologic responses at multiple locations into the calibration of watershed models. The framework consists of three components: 1) an a-priori characterization of system behavior; 2) a formal and statistically valid formulation of objective function(s) of model errors; and 3) an optimization engine to determine the Pareto-optimal front for the selected objectives. The proposed framework was applied for calibration of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in the Eagle Creek Watershed, Indiana, USA using three single objective optimization methods [Shuffled Complex Evolution (SCE), Dynamically Dimensioned Search (DDS), and DiffeRential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis (DREAM)], and one multiobjective optimization method. Solutions were classified into behavioral and non-behavioral using percent bias and Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient. The results showed that aggregation of streamflow and NOx (NO3-N + NO2-N) information measured at multiple locations within the watershed into a single measure of weighted errors resulted in faster convergence to a solution with a lower overall objective function value than using multiple measures of information. However, the DREAM method solution was the only one among the three single objective optimization methods considered in this study that satisfied the conditions defined for characterizing system behavior. In particular, aggregation of streamflow and NOx responses undermined finding “very good” behavioral solutions for NOx, primarily because of the significantly larger number of observations for streamflow. Aggregation of only NOx responses into a single measure expedited finding better solutions although aggregation of data from nested sites appeared to be inappropriate because of correlated errors. This study demonstrates the importance of hydrologic and water quality data availability at multiple locations, and also highlights the use of multiobjective approaches for proper calibration of watershed models that are used for pollutant source identification and watershed management.