Simulation of Monthly Mean and Monthly Base Flow of Streamflow using Random Forests for the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, 1901 to 2018
Links
- Document: Report (2.15 MB pdf) , HTML , XML
- Tables:
- Table 1.1 (41.6 kB xlsx) —U.S. Geological Survey streamgages used to train and evaluate performance in the random forest model in the Mississippi alluvial plain area, 1901–2018.
- Table 1.1 (24.3 kB csv) —U.S. Geological Survey streamgages used to train and evaluate performance in the random forest model in the Mississippi alluvial plain area, 1901–2018.
- Table 3.1 (35.8 kB xlsx) —Performance metrics of comparing the observed monthly mean streamflows with estimated flows for the random forest models using leave-one-out cross validation in the Mississippi embayment regional aquifer system, 1901–2016.
- Table 3.1 (17.4 kB csv) —Performance metrics of comparing the observed monthly mean streamflows with estimated flows for the random forest models using leave-one-out cross validation in the Mississippi embayment regional aquifer system, 1901–2016.
- Table 3.2 (51.9 kB xlsx) —Performance metrics of comparing to the observed monthly mean streamflows with estimated streamflows for the model trained with all gaged sites in the Mississippi embayment regional aquifer system, 1901–2016.
- Table 3.2 (16.8 kB csv) —Performance metrics of comparing to the observed monthly mean streamflows with estimated streamflows for the model trained with all gaged sites in the Mississippi embayment regional aquifer system, 1901–2016.
- Table 3.3 (51.9 kB xlsx) —Performance metrics of comparing to the computed monthly base flows with estimated base flows for the model trained with all gaged sites in the Mississippi embayment regional aquifer system, 1901–2018.
- Table 3.3 (16.8 kB csv) —Performance metrics of comparing to the computed monthly base flows with estimated base flows for the model trained with all gaged sites in the Mississippi embayment regional aquifer system, 1901–2018.
- Dataset: USGS National Water Information System database —USGS water data for the Nation
- Data Release: USGS data release - Input data, trained model data, and model outputs for predicting streamflow and base flow for the Mississippi embayment regional study area using a random forest model
- Software Release: USGS software release —mapRandomForest—Monthly flow estimation in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain by means of random forest modeling
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
Improved simulations of streamflow and base flow for selected sites within and adjacent to the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain area are important for modeling groundwater flow because surface-water flows have a substantial effect on groundwater levels. One method for simulating streamflow and base flow, random forest (RF) models, was developed from the data at gaged sites and, in turn, was used to make monthly mean streamflow and base-flow predictions at 162 ungaged sites in the study area. Daily streamflow observations and computed base flow from 247 streamgages were used as the basis for the development of these RF models. RF models were constructed from basin and climatic characteristics and related to observed monthly mean streamflow values; models were used to compute monthly base-flow estimates from selected streamgages in and adjacent to the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain extent, which includes streamflows from parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Texas. The explanatory variables for the models were selected to represent physical characteristics and climatic time series for the contributing drainage basins to the streamgages and ungaged locations of interest. The Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency between observed and simulated monthly mean streamflow was greater than 0.80 for 155 of the 247 streamgages, with a median Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency value of 0.83. The streamflow and base-flow simulations can be used to improve inflow values and to verify the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain groundwater flow model. The statistical model, input data, and response data (simulated monthly mean streamflows) are available as a U.S. Geological Survey software release and a U.S. Geological Survey data release.
Suggested Citation
Dietsch, B.J., Asquith, W.H., Breaker, B.K., Westenbroek, S.M., and Kress, W.H., 2023, Simulation of monthly mean and monthly base flow of streamflow using random forests for the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, 1901 to 2018: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2022–5079, 17 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20225079.
ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)
Study Area
Table of Contents
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Purpose and Scope
- Study Area Description and Site Selection
- Random Forest Prediction Model Construction
- Results of Random Forest Model Performance
- Summary
- References Cited
- Appendix 1. Stations Used in Analysis
- Appendix 2. Explanatory Variables Used in the Random Forest Model
- Appendix 3. Performance Metrics
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | Simulation of monthly mean and monthly base flow of streamflow using random forests for the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, 1901 to 2018 |
| Series title | Scientific Investigations Report |
| Series number | 2022-5079 |
| DOI | 10.3133/sir20225079 |
| Year Published | 2023 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Publisher location | Reston, VA |
| Contributing office(s) | Nebraska Water Science Center, Wisconsin Water Science Center, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center |
| Description | Report: v, 17 p.; Tables: 4; Data Release; Dataset; Software Release |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee |
| Other Geospatial | Mississippi River Alluvial Plain |
| Online Only (Y/N) | Y |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | Y |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |