Rainfall-runoff simulation in karst dominated areas based on a coupled conceptual hydrological model

• Published in: Journal of hydrology (Amsterdam) Vol. 573; pp. 524 - 533
• Main Authors: Zhou, Qing, Chen, Lu, Singh, Vijay P., Zhou, Jianzhong, Chen, Xiaohong, Xiong, Lihua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.06.2019
• Subjects: groundwater; hydrologic models; Karst areas; Karst reservoirs; karsts; Lijiang River basin; limestone; Rainfall-runoff simulation; runoff; soil; subsurface flow; watersheds; Xinanjiang model; Xinanjiang model; Rainfall-runoff simulation; Lijiang River basin; Karst areas; Karst reservoirs
• ISSN: 0022-1694; 1879-2707
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.03.099

•A coupled conceptual hydrological model (K-XAJ) for simulating the rainfall-runoff processes in karst-dominated areas.•The proposed K-XAJ model satisfactorily simulated the rainfall-runoff processes.•The peak flow predicted by the K-XAJ model was larger than that by the Xinanjiang (XAJ) model.•The interflow routed by the K-XAJ model was significantly smaller than that by the XAJ model.•The magnitude of groundwater predicted by the K-XAJ model was greater. Rainfall-runoff processes in the karst dominated regions are of great importance. However, not all areas in a karst-dominated river basin are covered by typical limestone and both limestone and soil cover may exist. This study proposes a coupled conceptual hydrological model for simulating the rainfall-runoff processes in karst-dominated areas. The model, named as K-XAJ, couples the traditional Xinanjiang (XAJ) model and a two reservoir-based karst model for simulating runoff in both the karst area and the non-karst area in the Lijiang River basin. Simulated results demonstrated that the proposed K-XAJ model satisfactorily simulated the rainfall-runoff processes. Compared with the traditional XAJ model, the K-XAJ model produced better forecasts. The peak flow predicted by the K-XAJ model was larger than that by the XAJ model, but the interflow routed by the K-XAJ model was significantly smaller than that by the XAJ model. The magnitude of groundwater predicted by the K-XAJ model was greater. This study thus provides a new way to simulate rainfall-runoff processes in karst areas.