A regional model to assess the hydrological sensitivity of medium size catchments to climate variability
✍ Scribed by Birgitta van der Wateren-de Hoog
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1998
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 251 KB
- Volume
- 12
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0885-6087
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✦ Synopsis
Catchment storage capacity is an important factor in the determination of catchment sensitivity to climate variability. Quanti®cation of catchment sensitivity is in turn important in the regional assessment of the eects of possible climate change. In the present paper, an empirical regional model is proposed that quanti®es catchment sensitivity as the ratio of present maximum reservoir storage to catchment storage capacity. Catchment storage capacity is de®ned theoretically using readily available catchment variables. Present maximum reservoir storage in a catchment, as determined from recession analysis, is expressed as a fraction of catchment storage capacity; the fraction de®nes catchment sensitivity and depends on storage capacity and annual net precipitation. Average annual conditions for present maximum reservoir storage and average annual net precipitation are used to test the developed model. Although the study used data from only 15 catchments in the Upper Loire region in France, the model proved statistically valid. Storage capacity calculated with the model compares favourably with the base¯ow index and a storage index de®ned in previous research. Values of storage capacity are probable with respect to reported water resources in the area. With the model catchment sensitivity can easily be assessed. Flood or drought prone catchments can be identi®ed as well as a catchment's sensitivity to a catchment-type transition (base¯ow versus direct ¯ow dominated catchments).