Abstract

This study explored the potential for bias correction of global precipitation datasets (GPD) to support streamflow simulation for water resource management in data limited regions. Two catchments, 580 km(2) and 2530 km(2), in the Kilombero Valley of central Tanzania were considered as case studies to explore three GPD bias correction methods: quantile mapping (QM), daily percentages (DP) and a model based (ModB) bias correction. The GPDs considered included two satellite rainfall products, three reanalysis products and three interpolated observed data products. The rainfall-runoff model HBV was used to simulate streamflow in the two catchments using (1) observed rain gauge data; (2) the original GPDs and (3) the bias-corrected GPDs as input. Results showed that applying QM to bias correction based on limited observed data tends to aggravate streamflow simulations relative to not bias correcting GPDs. This is likely due to a potential lack of representativeness of a single rain gauge observation at the scale of a hydrological catchment for these catchments. The results also indicate that there may be potential benefits in combining streamflow and rain gauge data to bias correct GPDs during the model calibration process within a hydrological modeling framework.

Keywords

bias correction; quantile mapping; satellite; reanalysis; interpolated; precipitation; HBV; Kilombero; Tanzania; Eastern Africa

Published in

Atmosphere
2017, Volume: 8, number: 12, article number: 246
Publisher: MDPI AG

UKÄ Subject classification

Oceanography, Hydrology, Water Resources


More information

Correction in: Atmosphere 2018, 9(4),148; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos9040148


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8120246

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/99094