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Effects of Digital Elevation Model Resolution on Watershed-Based Hydrologic Simulation

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Abstract

This paper investigated effects of Digital Elevation Model (DEM) resolution on flow simulation by applying the HSPF watershed model to three U.S. watersheds with different topographic conditions. Each watershed was delineated automatically and manually with four DEMs of the resolution ranging from 3.5 to 100 m. Results indicated that the simulated flow decreased with lowering DEM resolutions due to the reduction in the delineated drainage area particularly in low gradient watersheds. The DEM resolution impact was minimal when the manual method for watershed delineation was applied. The parameter uncertainty was found to be substantially greater than the resolution uncertainty in two out of three tested watersheds, indicating that the calibration of water balance parameters can alleviate the adverse effects of coarse DEM resolution for watersheds with high to moderate gradients. The findings are important to reducing the uncertainty, caused by DEM resolutions, in watershed modelling results, serving as guidelines for watershed modelling-based water resources management.

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Notes

  1. The drainage area to the gage station (Bayou Des Cannes near Eunice) is 339 km2.

  2. INFILT = infiltration, LZSN = lower zone storage nominal, AGWRC = groundwater recession rate, UZSN = upper zone storage nominal, DEEPER = fraction of groundwater inflow to deep recharge

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Funding

This research was supported by the United States Geological Survey through Louisiana Water Resources Research Institute.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ardurra Group, Inc., 3012 26th St, Metairie, LA, 70002, USA

    Maryam Roostaee

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA

    Zhiqiang Deng

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  1. Maryam Roostaee
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  2. Zhiqiang Deng
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Correspondence to Zhiqiang Deng.

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Roostaee, M., Deng, Z. Effects of Digital Elevation Model Resolution on Watershed-Based Hydrologic Simulation. Water Resour Manage 34, 2433–2447 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-020-02561-0

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