Hydrological system analysis and modelling of the Kara River basin (West Africa) using a lumped metric conceptual model

This paper discusses the analysis and modelling of the hydrological system of the basin of the Kara River, a transboundary river in Togo and Benin, as a necessary step towards sustainable water resources management. The methodological approach integrates the use of discharge parameters, flow duratio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHydrological sciences journal Vol. 62; no. 7; pp. 1094 - 1113
Main Authors Badjana, Hèou Maléki, Fink, Manfred, Helmschrot, Jörg, Diekkrüger, Bernd, Kralisch, Sven, Afouda, Abel Akambi, Wala, Kpérkouma
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Abingdon Taylor & Francis 19.05.2017
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Catchment area
Catchments
Computer simulation
Discharge
Duration
Effective precipitation
Evolution
Evolutionary algorithms
Flow duration
Flow duration curves
Hydrologic analysis
hydrological system analysis and modelling
Hydrology
Kara River basin
Landscape
lumped conceptual model
Mathematical models
Modelling
optimization
Parameter sensitivity
Parameters
Physical characteristics
Physical properties
Rain
Rainfall runoff
Rainfall simulators
rainfall-runoff mechanism
Rainfall-runoff modeling
Rainfall-runoff relationships
Resource management
River basins
Rivers
Routing
Runoff
Sensitivity analysis
Stream discharge
Stream flow
Systems analysis
Water management
Water resources
Water resources management
West Africa
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Summary:This paper discusses the analysis and modelling of the hydrological system of the basin of the Kara River, a transboundary river in Togo and Benin, as a necessary step towards sustainable water resources management. The methodological approach integrates the use of discharge parameters, flow duration curves and the lumped conceptual model IHACRES. A Sobol sensitivity analysis is performed and the model is calibrated by applying the shuffled complex evolution algorithm. Results show that discharge generation in three nested catchments of the basin is affected by landscape physical characteristics. The IHACRES model adequately simulates the rainfall-runoff dynamics in the basin with a mean modified Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency measure of 0.6. Modelling results indicate that parameters controlling rainfall transformation to effective rainfall are more sensitive than those routing the streamflow. This study provides insights into understanding the catchment's hydrological system. Nevertheless, further investigations are required to better understand detailed runoff generation processes. EDITOR M.C. Acreman; ASSOCIATE EDITOR N Verhoest
ISSN:0262-6667
2150-3435
DOI:10.1080/02626667.2017.1307571