TECHNICAL PAPERS
Sep 1, 1994

Computational Discretization Effect on Rainfall‐Runoff Simulation

Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 120, Issue 5

Abstract

Modeling catchment runoff requires spatial discretization of the catchment for computation. This study investigates the effect that the size of the computational discretization has on the results of a simulation. Three different types of models (namely, a rational formula model, an Australian nonlinear conceptual model (RORB), and a physical‐process‐based distributed model (HEC‐1)) were tested by applying them to a hypothetical catchment. For each model the spatial discretization size for computations was systematically decreased, while all other catchment and model parameters were held constant. It was observed that even for a simple, homogeneous, hypothetical catchment the simulated runoff results are significantly affected by the computational spatial size of the catchment used regardless of the type of model applied to the catchment.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.

References

1.
Bathurst, J. C. (1986). “Sensitivity analysis of the Systeme Hydrologique Europeen for an upland catchment.” J. Hydrol., 87 (Mar.), 103–123.
2.
Brath, A., Barbera, L. P., Mancini, M., and Rosso, R. (1989). “The use of distributed rainfall‐funoff models based on GIS at different scales of information.” Hydraulic Engineering; Proc., 1989 ASCE Nat. Conf., M. A. Ports, ed., ASCE, New York, N.Y., 448–453.
3.
Ford, D. T., Morris, E. C., and Feldman, A. D. (1980). “Corps of Engineers' experience with automatic calibration of precipitation‐runoff model.” Water and related land resources systems, Y. Haimes and J. Kindler, eds., Pergamon Press, New York, N.Y.
4.
Handbook of applied hydrology. (1964). V. T. Chow, ed., McGraw‐Hill Book Co., New York, N.Y.
5.
Hydrologic Engineering Center. (1987). HEC‐1 flood hydrograph package users manual. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Davis, Calif., 23–31.
6.
Laurenson, E. M., and Mein, R. G. (1985). RORB—version 3 runoff routing program user manual. Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, 13–21.
7.
Mazion, E. Jr. (1990). “Scale effect of spatial discretization in rainfall‐runoff modeling,” MS thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.
8.
Mein, R. G., Laurenson, E. M., and McMahon, T. A. (1974). “Simple nonlinear model for flood estimation.” J. Hydr. Div., ASCE, 100(11), 1507–1518.
9.
Scale problems in hydrology:runoff generation and basin response. (1986). V. K. Gupta, I. Rodriguez‐Iturbe, and E. F. Wood, eds., D. Reidel Publ., Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
10.
Tao, T., and Kouwen, N. (1989). “Spatial resolution in hydrologic modeling.” Channel flow and catchment runoff; Proc., Int. Conf. for Centennial of Manning's Formula and Kuichling's Rational Formula, B. C. Yen, ed., Charlottesville, Va., 166–175.

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 120Issue 5September 1994
Pages: 715 - 734

History

Received: Nov 26, 1990
Published online: Sep 1, 1994
Published in print: Sep 1994

Permissions

Request permissions for this article.

Authors

Affiliations

Edward Mazion, Jr.
Captain, U.S. Army Corps of Engrs., W.E.S., Vicksburg, MS 39180
Ben Chie Yen, Fellow, ASCE
Prof., Dept. of Civ. Engrg., Univ. of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Download citation

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

Cited by

View Options

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Copy the content Link

Share with email

Email a colleague

Share