Modeling run-off flow hydrographs using remote sensing data: an application to the Bashar basin, Iran

Abstract

Precipitation is hard to access in countries like Iran, due to inadequate number of rain gauge stations. Remote sensing provides an alternative source of rainfall estimation. In this study, the effectiveness of the HEC-HMS model was evaluated using GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement Mission) satellite and rain gauge station data. The model was calibrated and validated using 5 flood events' data of a hydrometric station at the outlet of Bashar basin. Important flood parameters including peak discharge (QP), flood volume (V) and time of concentration (TC) were used to evaluate and compare the application of satellite and ground station data in the model, using various statistical indices. The accuracy of QP and V estimations using rain gauge data was higher than those obtained by satellite data. However, the difference between mean relative error (MRE) in QP estimation was about 1% (9.9% and 10.6% for rain gauge and satellite data, respectively). Conversely, higher accuracies were met for TC estimation using satellite (with MRE 9.1% and 10.2% for GPM and rain gauge data, respectively). Such results imply the sole utilization of satellite precipitation data is reliable for modeling hydrological key parameters, which can be helpful in areas with limited ground station coverage. HIGHLIGHTS Remote sensing has been evaluated as an alternative source to provide precipitation data.; More accurate estimations of peak discharge and flood volume were made using rain gauge data compared to those obtained by satellite data.; Satellite data could be used to predict flood characteristics.; The performance of IMERG rainfall estimates was found to be variable with seasons.; The results showed that IMERG data perform better than TMPA data in heavy rainfall areas.;

Keywords

• bashar basin
• gpm satellite
• hec-hms model
• precipitation