Fine-scale hydrologic modeling for regional landscape applications: the California Basin Characterization Model development and performance
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Abstract
Introduction
Resource managers need spatially explicit models of hydrologic response to changes in key climatic drivers across variable landscape conditions. We demonstrate the utility of a Basin Characterization Model for California (CA-BCM) to integrate high-resolution data on physical watershed characteristics with historical or projected climate data to predict watershed-specific hydrologic responses.
Methods
The CA-BCM applies a monthly regional water-balance model to simulate hydrologic responses to climate at the spatial resolution of a 270-m grid. The model has been calibrated using a total of 159 relatively unimpaired watersheds for the California region.
Results
As a result of calibration, predicted basin discharge closely matches measured data for validation watersheds. The CA-BCM recharge and runoff estimates, combined with estimates of snowpack and timing of snowmelt, provide a basis for assessing variations in water availability. Another important output variable, climatic water deficit, integrates the combined effects of temperature and rainfall on site-specific soil moisture, a factor that plants may respond to more directly than air temperature and precipitation alone. Model outputs are calculated for each grid cell, allowing results to be summarized for a variety of planning units including hillslopes, watersheds, ecoregions, or political boundaries.
Conclusions
The ability to confidently calculate hydrologic outputs at fine spatial scales provides a new suite of hydrologic predictor variables that can be used for a variety of purposes, such as projections of changes in water availability, environmental demand, or distribution of plants and habitats. Here we present the framework of the CA-BCM model for the California hydrologic region, a test of model performance on 159 watersheds, summary results for the region for the 1981–2010 time period, and changes since the 1951–1980 time period.
Study Area
Publication type | Article |
---|---|
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Title | Fine-scale hydrologic modeling for regional landscape applications: the California Basin Characterization Model development and performance |
Series title | Ecological Processes |
DOI | 10.1186/2192-1709-2-25 |
Volume | 2 |
Year Published | 2013 |
Language | English |
Publisher | Springer |
Contributing office(s) | California Water Science Center |
Description | Article 25; 21 p. |
First page | 1 |
Last page | 21 |
Country | United States |
State | California |
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