https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/AM_1278The objective of this course is to provide students with scientific theory, tools and methods for understanding and evaluating the surface water response of catchments to incoming precipitation. This requires knowledge about processes regulating the flow of water on the land surface and in river channels, the techniques for quantification of surface water flows and statistical methods for predicting extreme runoff events. In addition, experience with surface water flow modelling for predicting the behavior of rivers under different land use or climate conditions will be acquired. The course contributes to the Knowledge and Understanding and Application of Knowledge and Understanding final attainment levels of the MSc Hydrology Program. Knowledge and understanding is obtained through studying theory as provided in the textbook, during the oral lectures and through self-study of scientific papers on rainfall-runoff response topics. Knowledge and understanding is applied to a rainfall-runoff model which simulations will be evaluated with measured data.The course consists of three main topics. We start with runoff processes leading to stormflow. This is followed by lectures on different hydrological modelling practices, and goodness-of-fit criteria. Finally, an overview of hydrodynamic and hydraulic theory that governs flow in open channels is given as well as an overview of discharge measuring techniques. Topics are hillslope hydrology, hydrograph analysis, statistical methods to describe and quantify spatial and temporal variation in catchment runoff and reservoir and flow routing and scaling in hydrology. The spectrum of available models for runoff modelling, from classical lumped models to data-demanding distributed, physically-based hydrological models, will also be discussed. Finally, theory and understanding will be applied in a series of modelling exercises applying a rainfall – runoff model to simulate runoff.The tuition consists of eleven classroom lectures and several computer modelling workshop sessions. The number of contact hours is in the order of 42.The assessment is through a written exam (70%), an assessment of a selection of exercises (10%), and the HBV modeling assignment report (20%). Grades of all assessments should be at least a 5.5.Main Textbook: S.L. Dingman, 2015. Physical hydrology, 3rd edition. ISBN: 978-1-4786-1118-9 Articles and other material (subject to updates) Seibert, J. & Vis, M. J. P. Teaching hydrological modeling with a user-friendly catchment-runoff-model software package. (Links to an external site.)Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 2012, 16, 3315-3325 (Links to an external site.) Selection of Reader "Hydrology of catchments, rivers and deltas Download Hydrology of catchments, rivers and deltas ", TUDelft, 2016 Kirchner, J. W. Catchments as simple dynamical systems: Catchment characterization, rainfall-runoff modeling, and doing hydrology backward. (Links to an external site.)Water Resources Research, 2009, 45, W02429First-year M.Sc. Hydrology students, students from Earth Sciences, Earth and Economy or Natural Sciences M.Sc. programmes.The course is open for participation to students from alternative M.Sc. programs at the VU University Amsterdam, or from other universities. If you are a professional and wish to attend this course you can also participate on a contract basis. In both cases please do contact the course coordinator to find out if you fulfill the background knowledge requirements and for enrollment procedures.The course is open for participation to students from alternative M.Sc. programmes at the VU University Amsterdam, or from other universities. If you are a professional and wish to attend this course you can also participate on a contract basis. In both cases please do contact the course coordinator to find out if you fulfill the background knowledge requirements and for enrolment procedures.The student should be familiar with the subjects of the BSc course Introduction to Hydrology (AB_1074)The student should have good background knowledge of mathematics and physics at BSc level and have basic computer skills. In addition, the student should have basic knowledge of Earth Science, as provided by the System Earth course (AB_450067).