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A Hydrologic Model of Kemptville Basin—Calibration and Extended Validation

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Abstract

An integrated hydrologic/hydraulic model of the Kemptville Creek basin has been built using the Mike11 modeling system of the Danish Hydraulic Institute and available GIS-based watershed data. This watershed system is complex, comprising of channels, local drainage areas, lateral inflows, wetlands, and a regulated dam. The model was calibrated using measured streamflow data for five years and then validated for another five years. A wide range of methods—both qualitative and quantitative—were used to evaluate the model performance. It was found that the model can simulate high flows with a high degree of accuracy, and the low flows less satisfactorily. Additional (split-sample) validation tests were conducted for another two five-year periods, which revealed that the model is capable of performing equally well for time periods beyond those used for calibration and validation. This model is now being used for various watershed management purposes, including synthetic hydrograph generation, flood forecasting, design flood estimation, wetland function analysis, etc.

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Acknowledgment

This paper is based on the initial work done at RVCA. Bruce Reid, Director of Watershed Science and Engineering Services, provided encouragement and advice. S. Asif and N. Howlader did much of the model building and data analysis. All these are gratefully acknowledged. Notwithstanding the contribution of others in the original study, the opinions presented in this paper are based on further analyses conducted by and are the sole responsibility of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official position of RVCA and its staff. I appreciate the constructive suggestions of two anonymous reviewers.

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Correspondence to Ferdous Ahmed.

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Ahmed, F. A Hydrologic Model of Kemptville Basin—Calibration and Extended Validation. Water Resour Manage 26, 2583–2604 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-012-0034-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-012-0034-0

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