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Streamflow modeling in a fluctuant climate using SWAT: Yass River catchment in south eastern Australia

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Abstract

Hydrological models play vital roles in understanding and management of surface water resources. The physically based distributed model Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was applied to a small catchment in south eastern Australia to determine its ability to mimic low and high streamflows. The model was successfully calibrated using 1993–2002 streamflow data and validated using 2003–2011 data with a combination of manual and auto-calibration techniques for both monthly and daily time steps. Sensitivity analysis indicated that curve number for moisture condition II (CN2) is the most sensitive parameter for both time steps. In general, the model performance statistics indicated “very good” agreement between measured and simulated discharges for both calibration and validation periods. The model was able to satisfactorily simulate both low and high flows of the Yass River. Analysis of water balance components indicated that more than 90 % of the rainfall is lost as evapotranspiration and about 45 % of the streamflow is base flow. The calibrated and validated SWAT model can be used to analyze the effect of climate and land use changes on catchment wide hydrologic process.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Charles Sturt University (CSU) strategic research centre scholarship. The first author was the recipient of this scholarship. The authors want to thank Dr. S. G. Setegn of Florida International University, USA and Mr. Kazi Rahman of University of Geneva, Switzerland for their valuable suggestions regarding SWAT model development.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Building 440, Room 104, Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW, 2678, Australia

    Partha Pratim Saha

  2. School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia

    Ketema Zeleke

  3. Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia

    Ketema Zeleke

  4. School of Environmental Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, Australia

    Mohsin Hafeez

  5. GHD Pty Ltd., Brisbane, Australia

    Mohsin Hafeez

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  1. Partha Pratim Saha
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  2. Ketema Zeleke
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Correspondence to Partha Pratim Saha.

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Saha, P.P., Zeleke, K. & Hafeez, M. Streamflow modeling in a fluctuant climate using SWAT: Yass River catchment in south eastern Australia. Environ Earth Sci 71, 5241–5254 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2926-6

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