Application of HEC-HMS in a Cold Region Watershed and Use of RADARSAT-2 Soil Moisture in Initializing the Model

This paper presents an assessment of the applicability of using RADARSAT-2-derived soil moisture data in the Hydrologic Modelling System developed by the Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC-HMS) for flood forecasting with a case study in the Sturgeon Creek watershed in Manitoba, Canada. Spring floodi...

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Main Authors: Hassan A. K. M. Bhuiyan, Heather McNairn, Jarrett Powers, Amine Merzouki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2017-02-01
Series:Hydrology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/4/1/9
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author Hassan A. K. M. Bhuiyan
Heather McNairn
Jarrett Powers
Amine Merzouki
author_facet Hassan A. K. M. Bhuiyan
Heather McNairn
Jarrett Powers
Amine Merzouki
author_sort Hassan A. K. M. Bhuiyan
collection DOAJ
description This paper presents an assessment of the applicability of using RADARSAT-2-derived soil moisture data in the Hydrologic Modelling System developed by the Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC-HMS) for flood forecasting with a case study in the Sturgeon Creek watershed in Manitoba, Canada. Spring flooding in Manitoba is generally influenced by both winter precipitation and soil moisture conditions in the fall of the previous year. As a result, the soil moisture accounting (SMA) and the temperature index algorithms are employed in the simulation. Results from event and continuous simulations of HEC-HMS show that the model is suitable for flood forecasting in Manitoba. Soil moisture data from the Manitoba Agriculture field survey and RADARSAT-2 satellite were used to set the initial soil moisture for the event simulations. The results confirm the benefit of using satellite data in capturing peak flows in a snowmelt event. A sensitivity analysis of SMA parameters, such as soil storage, maximum infiltration, soil percolation, maximum canopy storage and tension storage, was performed and ranked to determine which parameters have a significant impact on the performance of the model. The results show that the soil moisture storage was the most sensitive parameter. The sensitivity analysis of initial soil moisture in a snowmelt event shows that cumulative flow and peak flow are highly influenced by the initial soil moisture setting of the model. Therefore, there is a potential to utilize RADARSAT-2-derived soil moisture for hydrological modelling in other snow-dominated Manitoba watersheds.
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spelling doaj.art-5c6a7eb4cbe44ac69778a57d59846df92022-12-21T19:29:36ZengMDPI AGHydrology2306-53382017-02-0141910.3390/hydrology4010009hydrology4010009Application of HEC-HMS in a Cold Region Watershed and Use of RADARSAT-2 Soil Moisture in Initializing the ModelHassan A. K. M. Bhuiyan0Heather McNairn1Jarrett Powers2Amine Merzouki3Science and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3G7, CanadaScience and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, CanadaScience and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3G7, CanadaScience and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, CanadaThis paper presents an assessment of the applicability of using RADARSAT-2-derived soil moisture data in the Hydrologic Modelling System developed by the Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC-HMS) for flood forecasting with a case study in the Sturgeon Creek watershed in Manitoba, Canada. Spring flooding in Manitoba is generally influenced by both winter precipitation and soil moisture conditions in the fall of the previous year. As a result, the soil moisture accounting (SMA) and the temperature index algorithms are employed in the simulation. Results from event and continuous simulations of HEC-HMS show that the model is suitable for flood forecasting in Manitoba. Soil moisture data from the Manitoba Agriculture field survey and RADARSAT-2 satellite were used to set the initial soil moisture for the event simulations. The results confirm the benefit of using satellite data in capturing peak flows in a snowmelt event. A sensitivity analysis of SMA parameters, such as soil storage, maximum infiltration, soil percolation, maximum canopy storage and tension storage, was performed and ranked to determine which parameters have a significant impact on the performance of the model. The results show that the soil moisture storage was the most sensitive parameter. The sensitivity analysis of initial soil moisture in a snowmelt event shows that cumulative flow and peak flow are highly influenced by the initial soil moisture setting of the model. Therefore, there is a potential to utilize RADARSAT-2-derived soil moisture for hydrological modelling in other snow-dominated Manitoba watersheds.http://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/4/1/9RADARSAT-2flood forecastingsoil moisture accounting (SMA)HEC-HMS
spellingShingle Hassan A. K. M. Bhuiyan
Heather McNairn
Jarrett Powers
Amine Merzouki
Application of HEC-HMS in a Cold Region Watershed and Use of RADARSAT-2 Soil Moisture in Initializing the Model
Hydrology
RADARSAT-2
flood forecasting
soil moisture accounting (SMA)
HEC-HMS
title Application of HEC-HMS in a Cold Region Watershed and Use of RADARSAT-2 Soil Moisture in Initializing the Model
title_full Application of HEC-HMS in a Cold Region Watershed and Use of RADARSAT-2 Soil Moisture in Initializing the Model
title_fullStr Application of HEC-HMS in a Cold Region Watershed and Use of RADARSAT-2 Soil Moisture in Initializing the Model
title_full_unstemmed Application of HEC-HMS in a Cold Region Watershed and Use of RADARSAT-2 Soil Moisture in Initializing the Model
title_short Application of HEC-HMS in a Cold Region Watershed and Use of RADARSAT-2 Soil Moisture in Initializing the Model
title_sort application of hec hms in a cold region watershed and use of radarsat 2 soil moisture in initializing the model
topic RADARSAT-2
flood forecasting
soil moisture accounting (SMA)
HEC-HMS
url http://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/4/1/9
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AT jarrettpowers applicationofhechmsinacoldregionwatershedanduseofradarsat2soilmoistureininitializingthemodel
AT aminemerzouki applicationofhechmsinacoldregionwatershedanduseofradarsat2soilmoistureininitializingthemodel