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Snow hydrology of a headwater Arctic basin: 2. Conceptual analysis and computer modeling
Author(s) -
Hinzman Larry D.,
Kane Douglas L.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/91wr00261
Subject(s) - snowmelt , surface runoff , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , snow , streamflow , watershed , arctic , drainage basin , geology , geography , geomorphology , ecology , oceanography , geotechnical engineering , cartography , machine learning , computer science , biology
Lack of hydrologic data in the Arctic, particularly during snowmelt, severely limits modeling strategy. Spring snowmelt in Imnavait watershed is a very brief event, usually lasting about 10 days. Peak flow normally occurs within 36 hours of the beginning of streamflow. All downslope movement of water occurs within the top 10 cm of the highly organic soil mat or on the surface. Snow damming of snowmelt runoff is an important mechanism which must be considered in the modeling process of small watersheds. These unique characteristics of Arctic hydrology will affect the methodology and performance of a hydrologic model. The HBV model was used in an investigation of the hydrologic regime of an Arctic watershed during the spring snowmelt period. From the analysis of five spring melt events we found that HBV can adequately predict soil moisture, evaporation, snow ablation and accumulation, and runoff. It models the volumes of snowmelt runoff well, but more data are needed to improve the determination of snowmelt initiation. Use of HBV as a predictive tool is dependent upon the quality of the meteorologic forecast data.