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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Tucson, Arizona » SWRC » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #102696
Title: INFLUENCE OF GIS-BASED WATERSHED CHARACTERIZATION ON THE PREDICTION OF RUNOFF FROM SOUTHWEST RANGELANDS 1253

Author
item MILLER, S - UNIV. OF ARIZ.
item Stone, Jeffry
item MARTINEZ, J - UNIV. OF ARIZ.
item GUERTIN, D - UNIV. OF ARIZ.

Submitted to: American Water Resources Association Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/18/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: New procedures for preparing and running a runoff model were developed. The AriD BaSIN (ARDBSN) model is a complex tool used to predict the amount of runoff that results from a rain storm. The model requires detailed information about the area of study, and preparing this information is time consuming. The new procedures reported on in this paper automatically prepare much of the necessary data by linking computerized maps with computer programs. A critical part of this approach is the way in which the study area is divided into smaller pieces for modeling purposes. This paper reports on the results obtained by using different techniques for dividing the watershed.

Technical Abstract: A high-resolution geographic information system (GIS) was used to derive parameters for a basin-scale hydrologic simulation model capable of predicting peak discharges, runoff volumes, and sediment yield. The ARiD BaSIN (ARDBSN) model was tested on gauged rangeland watersheds within the USDA-ARS Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed in southeastern Arizona. Several GIS techniques were used to subdivide the areas under investigatio into flow elements and to extract from these elements relevant model parameters. Two gauged watersheds were configured to different levels of complexity by modifying the number of channels and overland flow elements used to characterize the basin. This paper describes the impact of GIS-based watershed characterization on runoff simulation and accuracy of annual runoff prediction from rangelands.