ConserveOnline - Tools for building a hydrologic foundation

Tools for building a hydrologic foundation

By Christopher Konrad on 1/21/2009 | Keyword(s): hydrologic foundation; ELOHA

Tools for building a hydrologic foundation	Capabilities (see below)	Limitations	Required skills	Case studies and references
Empirical assessment
StreamStats for gaged sites		Selected statistics at gaged sites for their period of record	Web navigation	Several US states
Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration	A	Gaged sites.	Basic hydrology; ability to operate GUI-based computer program; training available through The Nature Conservancy	Fraser River, Colorado, USA
Hydro-ecological Integrity Assessment Process	A	Gaged sites.	Basic hydrology; ability to operate GUI-based computer program	New Jersey
*Statistical models*
Index station	G	Analysis is not integrated in a software package; ungaged sites must be associated with an index station; streamflow characteristics must be specified	Intermediate hydrology and statistics; ability to assemble and analyze streamflow data from multiple sites.	Stedinger and Thomas (1985)
Regional regression	A,G	Analysis is not integrated in a software package; streamflow characteristics must be specified; applies to unimpaired streamflow	Intermediate hydrology, GIS, and statistics; ability to assemble streamflow data from multiple sites and implement analysis using a general statistical program.	Pennsylvania, USA
QPPQ	G	Analysis is not integrated in a software package, ungaged sites must be associated with an index station; uncertainty of streamflow statistics based on estimated daily streamflow	Intermediate hydrology and statistics; ability to assemble streamflow data from multiple sites and implement analysis using a general statistical program.	Massachusetts, USA
Water balance/budgets
Water budget		Typically coarse spatial and temporal resolution	Intermediate hydrology	Texas, USA
Thornthwaite-Mather water-balance method			Intermediate hydrology	Costa Rica, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico

*Hydrologic simulation models*
PRMS, HSPF, VIC, DHSVM, GSFLOW	A, G, S	Downscaling and scenarios depend on calibration (gage data for small basins, variable climatic regimes)	Advanced hydrology and computer programming; training in use of specific model	Georgia, USA; California, Nevada, USA; Virginia, USA
MIKE SHE	A, G, S	Not in the public domain	Advanced hydrology and computer programming; training in use of specific model
TOPMODEL	A, G, S	Simplified representation of hydrologic processes	Intermediate hydrology and computer programming	New Jersey, USA
Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)	A, G, S	Simplified representation of hydrologic processes	Intermediate hydrology and computer programming	USA, Guatemala
Agricultural Catchments Research Units (ACRU)	A, G, S	Simplified representation of hydrologic processes	Intermediate hydrology and computer programming	South Africa
Semi-Distributed Land-Use Runoff Process (SLURP)	A, G, S	Simplified representation of hydrologic processes	Intermediate hydrology and computer programming	Mekong River basin

*Water use models*
Permitted withdrawal databases	A, S	Subject to verification and actual water use	Familiarity with state water allocation administration	National Research Council (2002)
Land-cover/demographic models	A, S	Coarse resolution and low precision	Intermediate hydrology and GIS

*Reservoir operation models*
RESSIM	A, S	Applies to regulated sites; requires runoff input data	Advanced hydrology and computer programming; training in the use of the specific model
Riverware	A, S	Applies to regulated sites; requires runoff input data	Advanced hydrology and computer programming; training in the use of the specific model

*Integrated models*
WEAP 21	A,G, S	Does not integrate other tools that may already be developed	Advanced hydrology; training in the use of the specific model
Texas (USA) Water Availability Model	A, G	Output at a monthly time step		Texas, USA
The Murray-Darling Basin Sustainable Yields project;	A, G, S	Basin specific application		Austrailia
AFINCH		Under development		Michigan, USA
Sustainable Yield Indicator		Under development		Massachussetes, USA

Capabilities: A - assess hydrologic alteration; G - generate streamflow information at ungaged sites; S - run scenarios (unimpaired flows, climate/land use change)