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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Boise, Idaho » Northwest Watershed Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #190125
Title: Modeling of the water balance of a small mountainous catchment

Author
item KELLENERS, T - UTAH STATE UNIV
item CHANDLER, D - UTAH STATE UNIV
item Seyfried, Mark
item MCNAMARA, J - BOISE STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Trans American Geophysical Union
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/20/2005
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A new model is being developed to describe the water balance of a small mountainous catchment that is subject to snow accumulation and snow melt. Surface elevation across the catchment is determined from a digital elevation model. The distributed water storage capacity is calculated by combining depth-to-bedrock data with soil porosity data. At the surface, the complete energy balance is calculated using standard meteorological input. The snowpack, if present, is represented by two state variables: water equivalence and energy content (similar to the Utah Energy Balance Snow Accumulation and Melt Model). Lateral subsurface flow above the bedrock is calculated using the Boussinesq equation. Saturation-excess surface runoff is moved to neighboring cells assuming instantaneous redistribution. The model is tested in the Boise Front Experimental Watershed, Boise, Idaho.