Buku Ebook

B.Ing.18-(HEC-HMS) TechRefManualMar2000
Ch 7 Modeling Baseflow, Linear Reservoir Model
MODELING BASEFLOW
Two distinguishable components of a streamflow hydrograph are (1) direct, quick runoff of precipitation,
and (2) baseflow. Baseflow is the sustained or "fair-weather" runoff of prior precipitation that was stored
temporarily in the watershed, plus the delayed subsurface runoff from the current storm. Some conceptual
models of watershed processes account explicitly for this storage and for the subsurface movement.
However this accounting is not necessary to provide the information for many water resources studies.
The program includes three alternative models of baseflow:
Constant, monthly-varying value.
Exponential recession model.
Linear-reservoir volume accounting model.
Basic Concepts and Implementation
Constant, Monthly-Varying Baseflow
This is the simplest baseflow model included in the program. It represents baseflow as a constant flow;
this may vary monthly. This user-specified flow is added to the direct runoff computed from rainfall for
each time step of the simulation.
Exponential Recession Model
The program includes a exponential recession model to represent watershed baseflow (Chow, Maidment,
and Mays, 1988). The recession model has been used often to explain the drainage from natural storage in a
watershed (Linsley et al, 1982). It defines the relationship of Q t, the baseflow at any time t, to an initial
value as:
t
Qt =Q0 k
(67)
where Q0 = initial baseflow (at time zero); and k = an exponential decay constant. The baseflow thus
computed is illustrated in Figure 22. The shaded region represents baseflow in this figure; the contribution
decays exponentially from the starting flow. Total flow is the sum of the baseflow and the direct surface
runoff.
As implemented in the program, k is defined as the ratio of the baseflow at time t to the baseflow one day
earlier. The starting baseflow value, Q0, is an initial condition of the model. It may be specified as a flow
rate (m3/s or cfs), or it may be specified as a flow per unit area (m3/s/km2 or cfs/sq mi).

Figure 22. Initial baseflow recession.

The recession baseflow model is applied both at the start of simulation of a storm event, and later in the
event as the delayed subsurface flow reaches the watershed channels, as illustrated in Figure 23. Here, after
the peak of the direct runoff, a user-specified threshold flow defines the time at which the recession model
of Equation 67 defines the total flow. That threshold may be specified as a flow rate or as a ratio to the
computed peak flow. For example, if the threshold is specified as a ratio-to-peak of 0.10, and the computed
peak is 1000 m3/s, then the threshold flow is 100 m3/s. Subsequent total flows are computed with Equation
67, with Q0 = the specified threshold value.

Figure 23. Baseflow model illustration.

At the threshold flow, baseflow is defined by the initial baseflow recession. Thereafter, baseflow is not
computed directly, but is defined as the recession flow less the direct-surface-runoff. When the directsurface runoff eventually reaches zero (all rainfall has run off the watershed), the total flow and baseflow
are identical.
After the threshold flow occurs, the streamflow hydrograph ordinates are defined by the recession model
alone, unless the direct runoff plus initial baseflow recession contribution exceeds the threshold. This may
be the case if subsequent precipitation causes a second rise in the hydrograph, as illustrated in Figure 24. In
that case, ordinates on the second rising limb are computed by adding direct runoff to the initial recession,
as illustrated.

Figure 24. Recession with multiple runoff peaks.

Linear Reservoir Model
The linear-reservoir baseflow model is used in conjunction with the continuous soil-moisture accounting
(SMA) model that is described in Chapter 5. This baseflow model simulates the storage and movement of
subsurface flow as storage and movement of water through reservoirs. The reservoirs are linear: the
outflow at each time step of the simulation is a linear function of the average storage during the time step.

Mathematically, this is identical to the manner in which Clark's UH model represents watershed runoff, as
described in Chapter 6.
The outflow from groundwater layer 1 of the SMA is inflow to one linear reservoir, and the outflow from
groundwater layer 2 of the SMA is inflow to another. The outflow from the two linear reservoirs is
combined to compute the total baseflow for the watershed.
Estimating Baseflow Model Parameters
Constant , Monthly-Varying Baseflow
The parameters of this model are the monthly baseflows. These are best estimated empirically, with
measurements of channel flow when storm runoff is not occurring. In the absence of such records, field
inspection may help establish the average flow. For large watersheds with contribution from groundwater
flow and for watersheds with year-round precipitation, the contribution may be significant and should not
be ignored. On the other hand, for most urban channels and for smaller streams in the western and
southwestern US, the baseflow contribution may be negligible.
Exponential Recession Model
The parameters of this model include the initial flow, the recession ratio, and the threshold flow. As noted,
the initial flow is an initial condition. For analysis of hypothetical storm runoff, initial flow should be
selected as a likely average flow that would occur at the start of the storm runoff. For frequent events, the
initial flow might be the average annual flow in the channel. Field inspection may help establish this. As
with the constant, monthly-varying baseflow, for most urban channels and for smaller streams in the
western and southwestern US, this may well be zero, as the baseflow contribution is negligible.
The recession constant, k, depends upon the source of baseflow. If k = 1.00, the baseflow contribution will
be constant, with all Qt = Q0. Otherwise to model the exponential decay typical of natural undeveloped
watersheds, k must be less than 1.00. Table 16 shows typical values proposed by Pilgrim and Cordery
(1992) for basins ranging in size from 300 to 16,000 km 2 (120 to 6500 square miles) in the US, eastern
Australia, and several other regions. Large watersheds may have k values at the upper end of the range,
while smaller watersheds will have values at the lower end.
Table 16. Typical recession constant values
Flow Component
Recession Constant, Daily
Groundwater
0.95
Interflow
0.8-0.9
Surface runoff
0.3-0.8
The recession constant can be estimated if gaged flow data are available. Flows prior to the start of direct
runoff can be plotted, and an average of ratios of ordinates spaced one day apart can be computed. This is
simplified if a logarithmic axis is used for the flows, as the recession model will plot as a straight line.
The threshold value can be estimated also from examination of a graph of observed flows versus time. The
flow at which the recession limb is approximated well by a straight line defines the threshold value.
Linear Reservoir Model
The linear reservoir model is used with soil-moisture accounting model. It is best calibrated using
procedures consistent with those used to calibrate that model.

MODELING BASEFLOW...........................................................................................................................1
Basic Concepts and Implementation............................................................................................................1
Constant, Monthly-Varying Baseflow......................................................................................................1
Exponential Recession Model..................................................................................................................1
Linear Reservoir Model............................................................................................................................2
Estimating Baseflow Model Parameters......................................................................................................3
Constant , Monthly-Varying Baseflow.....................................................................................................3
Exponential Recession Model..................................................................................................................3
Linear Reservoir Model............................................................................................................................3