Improving process-based prediction of stream water temperature in SWAT using semi-Lagrangian formulation

Melaku, Nigus Demelash; Brown, Christopher W.; Tavakoly, Ahmad A.

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132612

i

Improving process-based prediction of stream water temperature in SWAT using semi-Lagrangian formulation

2025
By Melaku, Nigus Demelash ; Brown, Christopher W. ; Tavakoly, Ahmad A.

Details

Journal Title:

Journal of Hydrology
Personal Author:

Melaku, Nigus Demelash ; Brown, Christopher W. ; Tavakoly, Ahmad A.
NOAA Program & Office:

NESDIS (National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service) ; STAR (Center for Satellite Applications and Research) ; CISESS (Cooperative Institute for Satellite Earth System Studies)
Description:

Accurately predicting stream water temperature at large scales requires modeling techniques that account for various physical, chemical, and biological processes that influence water temperature. One common approach is to use process-based hydrodynamic models that simulate water movement throughout a river basin. In this study, we assessed whether enhancing the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) by incorporating a semi-Lagrangian formulation that explicitly accounts for various thermal processes improves its ability to predict stream water temperature. A basin-scale evaluation of the modified module, conducted in the Gunpowder Falls River and San Antonio River Basins using data from 2012 to 2022, showed that the modified model consistently demonstrated strong predictive capabilities for daily stream water temperature with R2 and KGE values ranging from 0.71 to 0.91, and 0.77 to 0.92, respectively. It also more accurately captured the monthly and seasonal variations in stream temperature compared to the default formulation, which is simply a function of air temperature. We recommend accounting for thermal processes using a semi-Lagrangian approach wherever these variables are available to improve the SWAT’s ability to predict stream temperature.
Keywords:

Streamflow Water Temperature Water Temperature Modified SWAT Semi-Lagrangian Soil And Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)
Source:

Journal of Hydrology 651 (2025) 132612
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132612
Format:

PDF
Document Type:

Journal Article
Funding:

Grant no. NA19NES4320002
Rights Information:

Accepted Manuscript
Compliance:

Submitted
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha-512:c607ca9d63ab288b858cda43ba7b683e7827d0f7d5f7557851b5efaf4d83ea2a8f414f9f03e2a1446bb058d8c0f1a4b2690defb76563d61b760ad1e8fe4e0450
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/73454/noaa_73454_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 3.72 MB ]

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