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Publications (10 of 76) Show all publications
Beck, H. E., Pan, M., Lin, P., Seibert, J., van Dijk, A. I. J. & Wood, E. F. (2020). Global Fully Distributed Parameter Regionalization Based on Observed Streamflow From 4,229 Headwater Catchments. Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres, 125(17), Article ID e2019JD031485.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Global Fully Distributed Parameter Regionalization Based on Observed Streamflow From 4,229 Headwater Catchments
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2020 (English)In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres, ISSN 2169-897X, E-ISSN 2169-8996, Vol. 125, no 17, article id e2019JD031485Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

All hydrological models need to be calibrated to obtain satisfactory streamflow simulations. Here we present a novel parameter regionalization approach that involves the optimization of transfer equations linking model parameters to climate and landscape characteristics. The optimization was performed in a fully spatially distributed fashion at high resolution (0.05 degrees), instead of at lumped catchment scale, using an unprecedented database of daily observed streamflow from 4,229 headwater catchments (<5,000 km(2)) worldwide. The optimized equations were subsequently applied globally to produce parameter maps for the entire land surface including ungauged regions. The approach was evaluated using the Kling-Gupta efficiency (KGE) and a gridded version of the hydrological model HBV. Tenfold cross validation was used to evaluate the generalizability of the approach and to obtain an ensemble of parameter maps. For the 4,229 independent validation catchments, the regionalized parameters yielded a median KGE of 0.46. The median KGE improvement (relative to uncalibrated parameters) was 0.29, and improvements were obtained for 88% of the independent validation catchments. These scores compare favorably to those from previous large catchment sample studies. The degree of performance improvement due to the regionalized parameters did not depend on climate or topography. Substantial improvements were obtained even for independent validation catchments located far from the catchments used for optimization, underscoring the value of the derived parameters for poorly gauged regions. The regionalized parameters-available via -should be useful for hydrological applications requiring accurate streamflow simulations.

National Category
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-186377 (URN)10.1029/2019JD031485 (DOI)000571890800031 ()
Available from: 2020-11-18 Created: 2020-11-18 Last updated: 2025-02-07Bibliographically approved
Reynolds, J. E., Halldin, S., Seibert, J., Xu, C. Y. & Grabs, T. (2020). Robustness of flood-model calibration using single and multiple events. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 65(5), 842-853
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Robustness of flood-model calibration using single and multiple events
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2020 (English)In: Hydrological Sciences Journal, ISSN 0262-6667, E-ISSN 2150-3435, Vol. 65, no 5, p. 842-853Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Lack of discharge data for model calibration is challenging for flood prediction in ungauged basins. Since establishment and maintenance of a permanent discharge station is resource demanding, a possible remedy could be to measure discharge only for a few events. We tested the hypothesis that a few flood-event hydrographs in a tropical basin would be sufficient to calibrate a bucket-type rainfall-runoff model, namely the HBV model, and proposed a new event-based calibration method to adequately predict floods. Parameter sets were chosen based on calibration of different scenarios of data availability, and their ability to predict floods was assessed. Compared to not having any discharge data, flood predictions improved already when one event was used for calibration. The results further suggest that two to four events for calibration may considerably improve flood predictions with regard to accuracy and uncertainty reduction, whereas adding more events beyond this resulted in small performance gains.

Keywords
floods, rainfall-runoff model, event-based calibration, value of information, ungauged basins, tropical climate
National Category
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-170035 (URN)10.1080/02626667.2019.1609682 (DOI)000468686800001 ()
Available from: 2019-06-24 Created: 2019-06-24 Last updated: 2025-02-07Bibliographically approved
Fischer, B. M. C., Aemisegger, F., Graf, P., Sodemann, H. & Seibert, J. (2019). Assessing the Sampling Quality of a Low-Tech Low-Budget Volume-Based Rainfall Sampler for Stable Isotope Analysis. Frontiers in Earth Science, 7, Article ID UNSP 244.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Assessing the Sampling Quality of a Low-Tech Low-Budget Volume-Based Rainfall Sampler for Stable Isotope Analysis
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2019 (English)In: Frontiers in Earth Science, E-ISSN 2296-6463, Vol. 7, article id UNSP 244Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

To better understand the small-scale variability of rainfall and its isotopic composition it is advantageous to utilize rain samplers which are at the same time low-cost, low-tech, robust, and precise with respect to the collected rainwater isotopic composition. We assessed whether a self-built version of the Kennedy sampler is able to collect rainwater consistently without mixing with antecedent collected water. We called the self-built sampler made from honey jars and silicon tubing the Zurich sequential sampler. Two laboratory experiments show that high rainfall intensities can be sampled and that the volume of water in a water sample originating from a different bottle was generally less than 1 ml. Rainwater was collected in 5 mm increments for stable isotope analysis using three (year 2011) and five (years 2015 and 2016) rain samplers in Zurich (Switzerland) during eleven rainfall events. The standard deviation of the total rainfall amounts between the different rain gauges was <1%. The standard deviation of delta O-18 and delta H-2 among the different sequential sampler bottles filled at the same time was generally <0.3 parts per thousand for delta O-18 and <2 parts per thousand for delta H-2 (8 out of 11 events). Larger standard deviations could be explained by leaking bottle(s) with subsequent mixing of water with different isotopic composition of at least one out of the five samplers. Our assessment shows that low-cost, low-tech rain samplers, when well maintained, can be used to collect sequential samples of rainfall for stable isotope analysis and are therefore suitable to study the spatio-temporal variability of the isotopic composition of rainfall.

Keywords
rainfall and its isotopic composition, sequential rainwater sampler, laboratory experiments, field test, stable isotopes (O-18 and H-2), low-cost/low-tech self-built sampler
National Category
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-175731 (URN)10.3389/feart.2019.00244 (DOI)000488209400001 ()
Available from: 2019-11-11 Created: 2019-11-11 Last updated: 2025-02-07Bibliographically approved
Reynolds, J. E., Halldin, S., Seibert, J. & Xu, C. Y. (2018). Definitions of climatological and discharge days: do they matter in hydrological modelling?. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 63(5), 836-844
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Definitions of climatological and discharge days: do they matter in hydrological modelling?
2018 (English)In: Hydrological Sciences Journal, ISSN 0262-6667, E-ISSN 2150-3435, Vol. 63, no 5, p. 836-844Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The performance of hydrological models is affected by uncertainty related to observed climatological and discharge data. Although the latter has been widely investigated, the effects on hydrological models from different starting times of the day have received little interest. In this study, observational data from one tropical basin were used to investigate the effects on a typical bucket-type hydrological model, the HBV, when the definitions of the climatological and discharge days are changed. An optimization procedure based on a genetic algorithm was used to assess the effects on model performance. Nash-Sutcliffe efficiencies varied considerably between day definitions, with the largest dependence on the climatological-day definition. The variation was likely caused by how storm water was assigned to one or two daily rainfall values depending on the definition of the climatological day. Hydrological models are unlikely to predict high flows accurately if rainfall intensities are reduced because of the day definition.

Keywords
climatological day, discharge day, rainfall-runoff model, daily resolution, regionalization, floods
National Category
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-156765 (URN)10.1080/02626667.2018.1451646 (DOI)000430212100010 ()
Available from: 2018-06-11 Created: 2018-06-11 Last updated: 2025-02-07Bibliographically approved
Pool, S., Vis, M. J. P., Knight, R. R. & Seibert, J. (2017). Streamflow characteristics from modeled runoff time series importance of calibration criteria selection. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 21(11), 5443-5457
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Streamflow characteristics from modeled runoff time series importance of calibration criteria selection
2017 (English)In: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, ISSN 1027-5606, E-ISSN 1607-7938, Vol. 21, no 11, p. 5443-5457Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Ecologically relevant streamflow characteristics (SFCs) of ungauged catchments are often estimated from simulated runoff of hydrologic models that were originally calibrated on gauged catchments. However, SFC estimates of the gauged donor catchments and subsequently the ungauged catchments can be substantially uncertain when models are calibrated using traditional approaches based on optimization of statistical performance metrics (e.g., Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency). An improved calibration strategy for gauged catchments is therefore crucial to help reduce the uncertainties of estimated SFCs for ungauged catchments. The aim of this study was to improve SFC estimates from modeled runoff time series in gauged catchments by explicitly including one or several SFCs in the calibration process. Different types of objective functions were defined consisting of the Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency, single SFCs, or combinations thereof. We calibrated a bucket-type runoff model (HBV-Hydrologiska Byrans Vattenavdelning-model) for 25 catchments in the Tennessee River basin and evaluated the proposed calibration approach on 13 ecologically relevant SFCs representing major flow regime components and different flow conditions. While the model generally tended to underestimate the tested SFCs related to mean and high-flow conditions, SFCs related to low flow were generally overestimated. The highest estimation accuracies were achieved by a SFC-specific model calibration. Estimates of SFCs not included in the calibration process were of similar quality when comparing a multi-SFC calibration approach to a traditional model efficiency calibration. For practical applications, this implies that SFCs should preferably be estimated from targeted runoff model calibration, and modeled estimates need to be carefully interpreted.

National Category
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-149989 (URN)10.5194/hess-21-5443-2017 (DOI)000414436100003 ()
Available from: 2017-12-22 Created: 2017-12-22 Last updated: 2025-02-07Bibliographically approved
Reynolds, J. E., Halldin, S., Xu, C. Y., Seibert, J. & Kauffeldt, A. (2017). Sub-daily runoff predictions using parameters calibrated on the basis of data with a daily temporal resolution. Journal of Hydrology, 550, 399-411
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Sub-daily runoff predictions using parameters calibrated on the basis of data with a daily temporal resolution
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2017 (English)In: Journal of Hydrology, ISSN 0022-1694, E-ISSN 1879-2707, Vol. 550, p. 399-411Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Concentration times in small and medium-sized basins (similar to 10-1000 km(2)) are commonly less than 24 h. Flood-forecasting models are thus required to provide simulations at high temporal resolutions (1 h-6 h), although time-series of input and runoff data with sufficient lengths are often only available at the daily temporal resolution, especially in developing countries. This has led to study the relationships of estimated parameter values at the temporal resolutions where they are needed from the temporal resolutions where they are available. This study presents a methodology to treat empirically model parameter dependencies on the temporal resolution of data in two small basins using a bucket-type hydrological model, HBV-light, and the generalised likelihood uncertainty estimation approach for selecting its parameters. To avoid artefacts due to the numerical resolution or numerical method of the differential equations within the model, the model was consistently run using modelling time steps of one-hour regardless of the temporal resolution of the rainfall-runoff data. The distribution of the parameters calibrated at several temporal resolutions in the two basins did not show model parameter dependencies on the temporal resolution of data and the direct transferability of calibrated parameter sets (e.g., daily) for runoff simulations at other temporal resolutions for which they were not calibrated (e.g., 3 h or 6 h) resulted in a moderate (if any) decrease in model performance, in terms of Nash-Sutcliffe and volume-error efficiencies. The results of this study indicate that if sub-daily forcing data can be secured, flood forecasting in basins with sub-daily concentration times may be possible with model-parameter values calibrated from long time series of daily data. Further studies using more models and basins are required to test the generality of these results.

Keywords
Rainfall-runoff modelling, Parameter transferability, Temporal resolution, Modelling time-step, Flood forecasting
National Category
Civil Engineering Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-145337 (URN)10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.05.012 (DOI)000404816000032 ()
Available from: 2017-07-27 Created: 2017-07-27 Last updated: 2025-01-31Bibliographically approved
Seibert, J. & Vis, M. J. P. (2016). How informative are stream level observations in different geographic regions?. Hydrological Processes, 30(14), 2498-2508
Open this publication in new window or tab >>How informative are stream level observations in different geographic regions?
2016 (English)In: Hydrological Processes, ISSN 0885-6087, E-ISSN 1099-1085, Vol. 30, no 14, p. 2498-2508Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Simple runoff models with a low number of model parameters are generally able to simulate catchment runoff reasonably well, but they rely on model calibration, which makes their use in ungauged basins challenging. In a previous study it has been shown that a limited number of streamflow measurements can be quite informative for constraining runoff models. In practice, however, instead of performing such repeated flow measurements, it might be easier to install a stream level logger. Here, a dataset of 600+ gauged basins in the USA was used to study how well models perform when only stream level data, rather than streamflow data, are available. A runoff model (the HBV model) was calibrated assuming that only stream level observations were available, and the simulations were evaluated on the full observed streamflow record. The results indicate that stream level data alone can already provide surprisingly good model simulation results in humid catchments, whereas in arid catchments some form of quantitative information (e.g. a streamflow observation or a regional average value) is needed to obtain good results. These results are encouraging for hydrological observations in data scarce regions as level observations are much easier to obtain than streamflow measurements. Based on runoff modelling, it might even be possible to derive streamflow time series from the level data obtained from loggers, satellites or community-based approaches.

Keywords
stream levels, value of data, hydrological modelling, model calibration
National Category
Oceanography, Hydrology and Water Resources
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-132541 (URN)10.1002/hyp.10887 (DOI)000379918300007 ()
External cooperation:
Available from: 2016-08-25 Created: 2016-08-15 Last updated: 2022-02-23Bibliographically approved
Ewen, T. & Seibert, J. (2016). Learning about water resource sharing through game play. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 20(10), 4079-4091
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Learning about water resource sharing through game play
2016 (English)In: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, ISSN 1027-5606, E-ISSN 1607-7938, Vol. 20, no 10, p. 4079-4091Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Games are an optimal way to teach about water resource sharing, as they allow real-world scenarios to be enacted. Both students and professionals learning about water resource management can benefit from playing games, through the process of understanding both the complexity of sharing of resources between different groups and decision outcomes. Here we address how games can be used to teach about water resource sharing, through both playing and developing water games. An evaluation of using the web-based game Irrigania in the classroom setting, supported by feedback from several educators who have used Irrigania to teach about the sustainable use of water resources, and decision making, at university and high school levels, finds Irrigania to be an effective and easy tool to incorporate into a curriculum. The development of two water games in a course for masters students in geography is also presented as a way to teach and communicate about water resource sharing. Through game development, students learned soft skills, including critical thinking, problem solving, team work, and time management, and overall the process was found to be an effective way to learn about water resource decision outcomes. This paper concludes with a discussion of learning outcomes from both playing and developing water games.

National Category
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-136073 (URN)10.5194/hess-20-4079-2016 (DOI)000386001500003 ()
Available from: 2016-12-14 Created: 2016-11-29 Last updated: 2025-02-07Bibliographically approved
Geris, J., Tetzlaff, D., Seibert, J., Vis, M. & Soulsby, C. (2015). CONCEPTUAL MODELLING TO ASSESS HYDROLOGICAL IMPACTS AND EVALUATE ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW SCENARIOS IN MONTANE RIVER SYSTEMS REGULATED FOR HYDROPOWER. Rivers Research and Applications: an international journal devoted to river research and management, 31(9), 1066-1081
Open this publication in new window or tab >>CONCEPTUAL MODELLING TO ASSESS HYDROLOGICAL IMPACTS AND EVALUATE ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW SCENARIOS IN MONTANE RIVER SYSTEMS REGULATED FOR HYDROPOWER
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2015 (English)In: Rivers Research and Applications: an international journal devoted to river research and management, ISSN 1535-1459, E-ISSN 1535-1467, Vol. 31, no 9, p. 1066-1081Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

To improve understanding of natural and managed flow regimes in data-sparse regulated river systems in montane areas, the commonly used Hydrologiska Byrans Vattenbalansavdelning (HBV) conceptual run-off model was adapted to incorporate water regulation components. The extended model was then applied to the heavily regulated river Lyon (391 km(2)) in Scotland to reconstruct the natural flow regime and to assess the impacts of regulation at increasing spatial scales. Multi-criteria model evaluation demonstrated that the model performed well in capturing the dominant catchment processes and regulation effects, especially at the timescales at which operation rules apply. The main change as a result of regulation in the river Lyon is a decrease in inter-annual and intra-annual variability of all elements of the flow regime, in terms of magnitude, frequency, and duration. Although these impacts are most pronounced directly downstream of the impoundments, the regulation effects propagate throughout the river system. The modelling approach is flexible and widely applicable and only limited amounts of data are required. Moreover, results are easily communicated to stakeholders. It has the potential to contribute to the development of flow regimes that may be more beneficial to the ecological status of rivers. In the case of the river Lyon, it is likely that this involves a more variable release regime. The approach developed here provides a tool for assessing impacts on flow regimes and informing environmental flows in other data-sparse regions with heavily regulated montane river systems.

Keywords
HBV, rainfall-run-off modelling, e-flows, regulation
National Category
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-123781 (URN)10.1002/rra.2813 (DOI)000364533800002 ()
Available from: 2015-12-23 Created: 2015-12-07 Last updated: 2025-02-07Bibliographically approved
Seibert, J. & McDonnell, J. J. (2015). Gauging the Ungauged Basin: Relative Value of Soft and Hard Data. Journal of hydrologic engineering, 20(1), A4014004
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Gauging the Ungauged Basin: Relative Value of Soft and Hard Data
2015 (English)In: Journal of hydrologic engineering, ISSN 1084-0699, E-ISSN 1943-5584, Vol. 20, no 1, p. A4014004-Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The long-standing issue of hydrological predictions in ungauged basins has received increased attention due to the recent International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) decade on predictions in ungauged basins (PUB). Since the outset of PUB, many have noted that the best way to confront an ungauged basin is to first make some basic streamflow measurements. This study explores the value of a rudimentary gauging campaign for making predictions in an ungauged basin. The well-studied Maimai watershed in New Zealand was used as a hypothetical ungauged basin, and this study was designed to start with no runoff data and add iteratively different subsets of the available data to constrain the calibration of a simple three-reservoir conceptual catchment model. These subsets included single runoff events or a limited number of point values-in other words, what could be measured with limited, campaign-like field efforts in an ungauged basin. In addition, different types of soft data were explored to constrain the model calibration. Model simulations were validated using the available runoff data from different years. It was found that surprisingly little runoff data were necessary to derive model parameterizations that provided good results for the validation periods, especially when these runoff data were combined with soft data. The relative value of soft data increased with decreasing amount of streamflow data. The findings from the Maimai watershed suggest that, when starting with no flow information, one event or 10 observations during high flow provide almost as much information as three months of continuously measured streamflow for constraining the calibration of a simple catchment model.

Keywords
Prediction in ungauged basins, Catchment modelling, Soft data, Maimai, Value of data
National Category
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-112888 (URN)10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0000861 (DOI)000346342000003 ()
Note

AuthorCount:2;

Available from: 2015-01-25 Created: 2015-01-19 Last updated: 2025-02-07Bibliographically approved
Projects
Improving the hydrological basis for biogeochemical modelling: A new pathway ?based modeling approach for hillslopes and catchments (Cat-MIPs) [2011-04889_VR]; Uppsala University
Organisations
Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0002-6314-2124

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