TY - GEN
T1 - Comparing model performance of the HBV and VIC models in the rhine basin
AU - Te Linde, A. H.
AU - Aerts, Jeroen
AU - Dolman, Han
AU - Hurkmans, Ruud
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - The general idea exists among hydrologists that physically-based distributed modelling better represents observed discharges as compared to lumped model approaches. In this paper, the hydrological models HBV and VIC were compared for the Rhine basin by testing their performance for simulating discharge. Overall, the semi-distributed lumped conceptual HBV model performed much better than the distributed physically-based VIC model. It is argued here that, even for a well documented river basin, such as the Rhine, the available approaches are still far from providing a satisfactory representation of the rainfall-runoff transformation and that more complex modelling does not always lead to better results. Moreover, it is concluded that deviations between observed and simulated discharge in many cases seem not to result from a structural problem in model definition, but from errors or deviations in forcing data.
AB - The general idea exists among hydrologists that physically-based distributed modelling better represents observed discharges as compared to lumped model approaches. In this paper, the hydrological models HBV and VIC were compared for the Rhine basin by testing their performance for simulating discharge. Overall, the semi-distributed lumped conceptual HBV model performed much better than the distributed physically-based VIC model. It is argued here that, even for a well documented river basin, such as the Rhine, the available approaches are still far from providing a satisfactory representation of the rainfall-runoff transformation and that more complex modelling does not always lead to better results. Moreover, it is concluded that deviations between observed and simulated discharge in many cases seem not to result from a structural problem in model definition, but from errors or deviations in forcing data.
KW - HBV model
KW - Hydrological modelling
KW - Model performance
KW - River Rhine
KW - VIC model
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M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:55749093428
SN - 9781901502091
T3 - IAHS-AISH Publication
SP - 278
EP - 285
BT - IAHS-AISH Publication - Quantification and Reduction of Predictive Uncertainty for Sustainable Water Resources Management
PB - IAHS-AISH Publication
T2 - International Symposium: Quantification and Reduction of Predictive Uncertainty for Sustainable Water Resources Management - 24th General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG)
Y2 - 2 July 2007 through 13 July 2007
ER -
