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Improving U.S. national water modeling: an intercomparison of two high-resolution, continental scale models, ParFlow-CONUS and the National Water Model v1.2 configuration of WRF-Hydro
Tijerina, Danielle T.
Tijerina, Danielle T.
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2018
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Development of integrated hydrology modeling systems, where subsurface, land-surface, and energy budget processes are represented, is an increasing trend. In hydrologic science, there is a need for more intricate models for comprehensive hydrologic forecasting and water management over large spatial areas, specifically the Continental US (CONUS). We compare streamflow output from two models developed for the CONUS: ParFlow-CONUS, using the integrated model ParFlow and WRF-Hydro.NWM, a configuration of the National Water Model version 1.2 using the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Weather Research and Forecasting hydro extension package WRF-Hydro. Accurately representing large domains remains a challenge considering the difficult task of representing complex hydrologic processes, computational expense, and extensive data needs. Intercomparing models helps disentangle process, parameter, and formulation differences. Results show that WRF-Hydro.NWM and PF-CONUS generally capture flow magnitude, but WRF-Hydro.NWM better captures flow timing. Spatial differences exist as well—both models accurately simulate the humid east, but struggle with the Great Plains and intermountain west. Simulations such as these will help improve physical process representation in hydrologic models and give greater confidence in large-scale forecasts.
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