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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Adaptive Cropping Systems Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #330371
Title: Flexibility on storage-release based distributed hydrologic modeling with object-oriented approach

Author
item KANG, KWANGMIN - University Of Maryland
item MERWADE, VENKATESH - Purdue University
item CHUN, JONG AHN - Apec Climate Center (APCC)
item Timlin, Dennis

Submitted to: Journal of Hydrology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/25/2016
Publication Date: 6/15/2016
Citation: Kang, K., Merwade, V., Chun, J., Timlin, D.J. 2016. Flexibility on storage-release based distributed hydrologic modeling with object-oriented approach. Journal of Hydrology. 540:17-25.

Interpretive Summary: There is a need for a simulation modeling framework that can utilize the explosion of hydrologic, remotely sensed and climate change data that are becoming more widely available. We developed a flexible and easily extendable hydrologic model called STORE DHM that can generate information on water runoff from agricultural fields from a rainstorm. The model consists of components called ‘Objects’ that can be easily modified or changed depending on the source of data. The model was tested in the Nanticoke Watershed which is part of the larger Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The framework can incorporate other models such as the Agricultural Policy Environmental Extender (APEX) model to look at nutrient contents in runoff for example. The model can be easily modified to be used for more complex simulations of water dynamics as affected by rainfall and soil management. The model can be a useful tool for water resources managers and scientists.

Technical Abstract: With the availability of advanced hydrologic data in the public domain such as remotely sensed and climate change scenario data, there is a need for a modeling framework that is capable of using these data to simulate and extend hydrologic processes with multidisciplinary approaches for sustainable water resources management. To address this need, a storage-release based distributed hydrologic model (STORE DHM) was developed using an object-oriented approach. The model was tested to demonstrate model flexibility and extensibility and to understand how to integrate an object-oriented approach to further hydrologic research issues. The example we show is reconstruction of missing precipitation, without changing its main framework. Moreover, the STORE DHM was applied to simulate hydrological processes with multiple classes in the Nanticoke Watershed. This study describes a conceptual and structural framework of object-oriented inheritance and aggregation characteristics under the STORE DHM. In addition, NearestMP (missing value estimation based on nearest neighborhood regression) and KernelMP (missing value estimation based on Kernel Function) are proposed for evaluating STORE DHM flexibility. Finally, STORE DHM runoff hydrographs are compared with NearestMP and KernelMP runoff hydrographs. Overall results from these comparisons show promising hydrograph outputs generated by the proposed two classes. Consequently, this study suggests that STORE DHM with an object-oriented approach will be a comprehensive water resources modeling tool that is both flexible and extensible.