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Problems and Prospects of Swat Model Application on an Arid/Semi-Arid Watershed in Arizona
Citation:
Yuan, Y., W. Nie, AND S. Emily. Problems and Prospects of Swat Model Application on an Arid/Semi-Arid Watershed in Arizona. In Proceedings, 2015 SEDHYD Conference, Reno, NV, April 19 - 23, 2015. USDA Agricultural Research Service, Washington, DC, 1-11, (2015).
Impact/Purpose:
Paper for proceedings of SEDHYD 2015 Conference in Reno NV
Description:
Hydrological characteristics in the semi-arid southwest create unique challenges to watershed modellers. Streamflow in these regions is largely dependent on seasonal, short term, and high intensity rainfall events. The objectives of this study are: 1) to analyze the unique hydrology of a watershed located in the southwestern USA; and 2) to evaluate SWAT applicability on this watershed. USGS historical precipitation and stream discharge patterns were analyzed to determine the hydrological characteristics of the upper San Pedro watershed. It was found that runoff was decreased in downstream gauging locations because of transmission loss due to low groundwater level. Based on this analysis, SWAT model were calibrated to reflect the unique hydrological characteristics of the watershed. After calibration, NSE and R2 values were above 0.5 (except NSE coefficient for annual calibration at Redington gage), and PBIAS were in the range of ±25% (except annual calibration at Charleston gage), suggesting satisfactory model performance. The SWAT model, set up with the optimal parameters, generally reflects the hydrological characteristics of this arid/semi-arid watershed.