Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Assessing an Enhanced Version of SWAT on Water Quantity and Quality Simulation in Regions with Seasonal Snow Cover

  • Published:
Water Resources Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Winter soil-temperature simulations with soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) are generally inaccurate in snow-dominated areas of the word, because the existing empirically-based soil-temperature module in SWAT does not account for snow-insulation effects. This problem, in turn, leads to all subsequent projections including water flow and nutrient loading biased. To address this issue, a physically-based soil-temperature module was developed and incorporated into SWAT as an alternative to the empirical formulation, which was found generate better overall estimates of winter soil temperature in a previous study. In the current study, we continue to examine the modified version of SWAT performance on watershed modeling by making pairwise comparisons between the outputs from the original and modified versions of SWAT against related field measurements in a testing watershed. Results show that the physically-based soil-temperature formulation helps to dramatically improve SWAT estimations of base flow discharge and NO3-N loading for the watershed as a result of improvement in modeled winter soil temperatures. Compared with the original version of SWAT, the new version of SWAT predicted overall lower surface runoff and soil moisture content, as well as higher percolation and lateral flow in winter, resulting in clear differences in modeled flow paths and fate of chemical pollutants. Adding a physically-based treatment of soil temperature in SWAT is an important generalization that has potential of making the model more relevant to snow-dominated areas of the world.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbaspour K, Vejdani M, Haghighat S (2007) SWAT-CUP calibration and uncertainty programs for SWAT. In: MODSIM 2007 International Congress on Modelling and Simulation, Modelling and Simulation. Society of Australia and New Zealand

  • Ahmad N et al. (2011) Modeling sediment and nitrogen export from a rural watershed in Eastern Canada using the soil and water assessment tool. J Environ Qual 40:1182–1194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arnold JG, Srinivasan R, Muttiah RS, Williams JR (1998) Large area hydrologic modeling and assessment part I: model development. JAWRA J Am Water Resour Assoc 34:73–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bélanger JA (2009) Modelling soil temperature on the boreal plain with an emphasis on the rapid cooling period. Master Thesis, Lakehead University

  • Bochove E, Jones HG, Bertrand N, Prévost D (2000) Winter fluxes of greenhouse gases from snow-covered agricultural soil: intra-annual and interannual variations. Glob Biogeochem Cycles 14:113–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks PD, Williams MW, Schmidt SK (1998) Inorganic nitrogen and microbial biomass dynamics before and during spring snowmelt. Biogeochemistry 43:1–15. doi:10.2307/1469486

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao W, Bowden WB, Davie T, Fenemor A (2009) Modelling impacts of land cover change on critical water resources in the Motueka River catchment, New Zealand. Water Resour Manag 23:137–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chow T, Rees H (2006) Impacts of intensive potato production on water yield and sediment load (Black Brook Experimental Watershed: 1992–2002 summary). Potato Research Centre, AAFC, Fredericton

  • Chow L, Xing Z, Benoy G, Rees H, Meng F, Jiang Y, Daigle J (2011) Hydrology and water quality across gradients of agricultural intensity in the Little River watershed area, New Brunswick, Canada. J Soil Water Conserv 66:71–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cronshey R, McCuen RH, Miller N, Rawls W, Robbins S, Woodward D (1986) Urban hydrology for small watersheds. National Resources Conservation Service, USDA, Washington, DC, USA

  • Dakhlalla AO, Parajuli PB (2016) Evaluation of the best management practices at the watershed scale to attenuate peak streamflow under climate change scenarios. Water Resour Manag 30:963–982

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Debele B, Srinivasan R, Gosain AK (2010) Comparison of process-based and temperature-index snowmelt modeling in SWAT. Water Resour Manag 24:1065–1088. doi:10.1007/s11269-009-9486-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gassman PW, Reyes MR, Green CH, Arnold JG (2005) SWAT peer-reviewed literature: a review. In: 3rd International SWAT Conference. Zurich, Switzerland

  • Haan CT, Barfield BJ, Hayes JC (1994) Design hydrology and sedimentology for small catchments. Academic Press: San Diego, California, USA

  • Hardy JP et al. (2001) Snow depth manipulation and its influence on soil frost and water dynamics in a northern hardwood forest. Biogeochemistry 56:151–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He Z, Larkin R, Honeycutt W (2012) Sustainable potato production: global case studies. Springer, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Levesque E, Anctil F, Van Griensven A, Beauchamp N (2008) Evaluation of streamflow simulation by SWAT model for two small watersheds under snowmelt and rainfall. Hydrol Sci J 53:961–976

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Q et al. (2014a) An approach for assessing impact of land use and biophysical conditions across landscape on recharge rate and nitrogen loading of groundwater. Agric Ecosyst Environ 196:114–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Q, Xing Z, Danielescu S, Li S, Jiang Y, Meng F-R (2014b) Data requirements for using combined conductivity mass balance and recursive digital filter method to estimate groundwater recharge in a small watershed, New Brunswick, Canada. J Hydrol 511:658–664

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li J, Li G, Zhou S, Chen F (2015) Quantifying the effects of land surface change on annual runoff considering precipitation variability by SWAT. Water Resour Manag 30:1071–1084

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li S, Liang W, Zhang W, Liu Q (2016) Response of soil moisture to hydro-meteorological variables under different precipitation gradients in the Yellow River Basin. Water Resour Manag 30:1867–1884

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ling F, Zhang T (2004) A numerical model for surface energy balance and thermal regime of the active layer and permafrost containing unfrozen water. Cold Reg Sci Technol 38:1–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maier N, Dietrich J (2016) Using SWAT for strategic planning of basin scale irrigation control policies: a case study from a humid region in northern Germany. Water Resour Manag 30:3285. doi:10.1007/s11269-016-1348-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matthias A (1990) Simulation of daily energy budget and mean soil temperatures at an arid site. Theor Appl Climatol 42:3–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mellerowicz KT (1993) Soils of the Black Brook Watershed St. Andre Parish, Madawaska County, New Brunswick. [Fredericton]: New Brunswick Department of Agriculture

  • Moriasi DN, Arnold JG, Van Liew MW, Bingner RL, Harmel RD, Veith TL (2007) Model evaluation guidelines for systematic quantification of accuracy in watershed simulations. Trans ASABE 50:885–900

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nash J, Sutcliffe J (1970) River flow forecasting through conceptual models part I—A discussion of principles. J Hydrol 10:282–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neitsch SL, Arnold JG, Kiniry JR, Williams JR (2011) Soil and Water Assessment Tool Theoretical Documentation Version 2009. Grassland, Soil and Water Research Service, Temple, Texas, USA

  • Olness A et al. (2001) Factors affecting microbial formation of nitrate-nitrogen in soil and their effects on fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency. Sci World J 1:122–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panuska JC, Karthikeyan K, Norman JM (2008) Sediment and phosphorus losses in snowmelt and rainfall runoff from three corn management systems. Trans ASABE 51:95–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qi J, Li S, Li Q, Xing Z, Bourque CP-A, Meng F-R (2016) A new soil-temperature module for SWAT application in regions with seasonal snow cover. J Hydrol 538:863–877

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahi G, Jensen R (1975) Effect of temperature on soil-water diffusivity. Geoderma 14:115–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rekolainen S (1989) Effect of snow and soil frost melting on the concentrations of suspended solids and phosphorus in two rural watersheds in Western Finland. Aquat Sci 51:211–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schillinger WF (2011) Reducing water runoff and erosion from frozen agricultural soils. In: Soil Erosion Research for the 21st Century, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. doi:10.13031/2013.3195

  • Shao H, Baffaut C, Nelson NO, Janssen KA, Pierzynski GM, Barnes PL (2013) Development and application of algorithms for simulating terraces within SWAT. Trans ASABE 56:1715–1730

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh P, JQ W, McCool DK, Dun S, Lin C-H, Morse JR (2009) Winter hydrologic and erosion processes in the US Palouse region: field experimentation and WEPP simulation. Vadose Zone J 8:426–436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith MW (1975) Microclimatic influences on ground temperatures and permafrost distribution, Mackenzie Delta, Northwest Territories. Can J Earth Sci 12:1421–1438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith M, Riseborough D (2002) Climate and the limits of permafrost: a zonal analysis. Permafr Periglac Process 13:1–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Su J et al. (2011) Effects of snowmelt on phosphorus and sediment losses from agricultural watersheds in Eastern Canada. Agric Water Manag 98:867–876

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ullrich A, Volk M (2009) Application of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to predict the impact of alternative management practices on water quality and quantity. Agric Water Manag 96:1207–1217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uniyal B, Jha MK, Verma AK (2015) Assessing climate change impact on water balance components of a river basin using SWAT model. Water Resour Manag 29:4767–4785

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wischmeier WH, Smith DD (1978) Predicting rainfall erosion losses - A guide to conservation planning, Agriculture Handbook No. 537, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington

  • Yang Q, Meng F-R, Zhao Z, Chow TL, Benoy G, Rees HW, Bourque CP-A (2009a) Assessing the impacts of flow diversion terraces on stream water and sediment yields at a watershed level using SWAT model. Agric Ecosyst Environ 132:23–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Q, Zhao Z, Chow TL, Rees HW, Bourque CPA, Meng FR (2009b) Using GIS and a digital elevation model to assess the effectiveness of variable grade flow diversion terraces in reducing soil erosion in northwestern New Brunswick, Canada. Hydrol Process 23:3271–3280

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Q, Zhao Z, Benoy G, Chow TL, Rees HW, Bourque CP-A, Meng F-R (2010) A watershed-scale assessment of cost-effectiveness of sediment abatement with flow diversion terraces. J Environ Qual 39:220–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Q, Benoy GA, Chow TL, Daigle J-L, Bourque CP-A, Meng F-R (2012) Using the soil and water assessment tool to estimate achievable water quality targets through implementation of beneficial management practices in an agricultural watershed. J Environ Qual 41:64–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang T (2005) Influence of the seasonal snow cover on the ground thermal regime: an overview. Rev Geophys 43. doi:10.1029/2004RG000157

  • Zhang Y, Wang S, Barr AG, Black T (2008) Impact of snow cover on soil temperature and its simulation in a boreal aspen forest. Cold Reg Sci Technol 52:355–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang R, Li Q, Chow TL, Li S, Danielescu S (2013) Baseflow separation in a small watershed in New Brunswick, Canada, using a recursive digital filter calibrated with the conductivity mass balance method. Hydrol Process 27:2659–2665

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao Z, Chow TL, Yang Q, Rees HW, Benoy G, Xing Z, Meng F-R (2008) Model prediction of soil drainage classes based on digital elevation model parameters and soil attributes from coarse resolution soil maps. Can J Soil Sci 88:787–799

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou X, Persaud N, Belesky D, Clark R (2007) Significance of transients in soil temperature series. Pedosphere 17:766–775

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zuzel JF, Allmaras R, Greenwalt R (1982) Runoff and soil erosion on frozen soils in northeastern Oregon. J Soil Water Conserv 37:351–354

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The funding support for this project was provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) through project #1145, entitled “Integrating selected BMPs to maximize environmental and economic benefits at the field and watershed scales for sustainable potato production in New Brunswick”, and Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) through Discovery Grants to CPAB and FRM. Authors are thankful to S. Lavoie, J. Monteith, and L. Stevens for their technical support in data collection and sample analyses.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 44400, 28 Dineen Drive, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3, Canada

    Junyu Qi, Charles P.-A. Bourque & Fan-Rui Meng

  2. Potato Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, P.O. Box 20280, 850 Lincoln Road, Fredericton, NB, E3B 4Z7, Canada

    Sheng Li & Zisheng Xing

  3. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1T7, Canada

    Qiang Li

Authors
  1. Junyu Qi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sheng Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Qiang Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zisheng Xing
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Charles P.-A. Bourque
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Fan-Rui Meng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fan-Rui Meng.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Qi, J., Li, S., Li, Q. et al. Assessing an Enhanced Version of SWAT on Water Quantity and Quality Simulation in Regions with Seasonal Snow Cover. Water Resour Manage 30, 5021–5037 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-016-1466-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-016-1466-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation