Open AccessHydrological Modeling of Large Drainage Basins Using a GIS-based Hybrid Atmospheric and Terrestrial Water Balance (HATWAB) Model
Author(s) -
Berhanu F. Alemaw
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of water resource and protection
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1945-3108
pISSN - 1945-3094
DOI - 10.4236/jwarp.2012.47060
Subject(s) - evapotranspiration , water balance , environmental science , surface runoff , hydrology (agriculture) , water cycle , hydrological modelling , drainage basin , water content , precipitation , climatology , geology , meteorology , geography , ecology , geotechnical engineering , cartography , biology
A Hydrological model is proposed to study the spatial and temporal variability of the water budget components of large drainage basin systems from atmospheric and terrestrial water balances. In order to understand the water balances that include, surface runoff, actual evapotranspiration and soil moisture, a GIS-based simple water balance model which is referred as Hydrological Model from Hybrid Atmospheric and Terrestrial Water Balances with acronym HATWAB is presented. The spatio-temporal climatology database was created from a network of climate stations from CLIMWAT data base to reconstruct the monthly primary inputs to HATWAB model, rainfall and potential evapotranspiration. The modeling principles and HATWAB model are demonstrated using the Limpopo and Congo basins in Africa. The model was used to simulate water balance components by taking rainfall-runoff processes in the basin including soil-texture controlled moisture in the terrestrial system, and the vertical integrated moisture convergence that accounts for the net water vapor flux from the basins in order to close the hydrologic water budget