Can we assess intra-basin tradeoffs using approaches derived from Global Hydrological Modeling? Case studies from Asia
Abstract
Advances in GHMs, LSMs and related River-routing algorithms provide a consistent and coherent approach to link global hydrological processes and remotely-sensed satellite data to regional-scales. While progress has been made in characterizing regulating mechanisms on the rivers and LULC changes' impacts to basin hydrology, gaps remain in making these global tools relevant to local basin management. Here we show how adapting the approaches developed for the global models while allowing local input on regulating mechanism/land-cover changes, can work around the constraint of gaps in local data availability and technical capability, leading to basin-relevant insights in the context of integrated water resource management. Within the case study sites of Dongjiang (China) and Lower Mekong, a semi-distributed `network of network' framework for assessing impacts of tradeoffs within a basin is developed, composed of (a) a simple hydrological and routing model using HydroBASIN[1] sub-basin network as underlying grid; with for each sub-basin, (b) a "relations" network for derivation of ecosystem services, based on hydrologic and ecosystem processes as well as local demand. With this framework, we validate the impact of the local inputs by using the evaluation approach proposed by [2], based on ability of the model to represent the observed covariance structures between forcings and outflow. We then apply this semi-distributed framework to explore potential tradeoffs using development scenarios (e.g., urban expansion, water reallocation). Advances in the ability to swiftly link comprehensive global-scale hydrological information to local-scale issues may improve our capability to anticipate and respond to freshwater resource availability and management challenges. [1] Lehner, B., & Grill, G. (2013). Hydrological Processes, 27(15), 2171-2186. [2] Vogel, R. M., & Sankarasubramanian, A. (2003). Water Resources Research, 39(10).
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AGUFM.H53K..05S
- Keywords:
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- 1630 Impacts of global change;
- GLOBAL CHANGEDE: 1803 Anthropogenic effects;
- HYDROLOGYDE: 1807 Climate impacts;
- HYDROLOGYDE: 1834 Human impacts;
- HYDROLOGY