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A review of model selection for hydrological studies

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Abstract

The key aim of this review was to consolidate the latest information on the regularly used and newly developed hydrological models that may be supportive in choosing the best-suited model for specific research applications in hydrological studies. The paper briefly discusses various models available for the simulation of specific processes in the hydrological cycle. The models presented in this paper are classified based on distributed, semi-distributed, stochastic, and process-based deterministic approaches. These models are employed for research applications in sedimentation analysis, sub-surface modeling, hydraulic routing, and hydrological prediction. Criteria used for assessing models are hydrological components that the model can simulate, the leading equations used to simulate the hydrologic components, requirements of the minimum data necessary to run the model, and the spatiotemporal scale of the model. These are the basic requirements that must always be addressed before selecting any model for future use.

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Correspondence to Mudesir Nesru.

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Nesru, M. A review of model selection for hydrological studies. Arab J Geosci 16, 102 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-023-11194-7

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