Comparing calibrated parameter sets of the SWAT model for the Scandinavian and Iberian Peninsulas

The SWAT model has been setup to predict water discharge and nutrient losses as affected by anthropogenic activities at European Scale. A modelling protocol was proposed to deal with large-scale applications. This modelling protocol involves multi-objective calibration, sensitivity analysis and regionalization. In this context, we examine the spatial variation of calibrated parameter sets for stream flow obtained for head sub-basins in Scandinavia and the Iberian Peninsula. The main research questions addressed in this work are: what are the most relevant hydrological processes in each region? What is the spatial variation in parameter optima? The results show that snow processes are relevant in Scandinavia, groundwater processes are significant both in Scandinavian and Iberian Peninsulas, while lateral flow is not significant in neither region. Optimal soil hydraulic parameters have different ranges of values in each region, reflecting a difference in runoff generating mechanisms between the studied regions.

MALAGO Anna;  PAGLIERO Liliana;  BOURAOUI Faycal;  FRANCHINI Marco; 

2014-11-25

TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

JRC88235

0262-6667,   

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02626667.2014.978332#.VHRWIBA098E,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC88235,   

10.1080/02626667.2014.978332,