Improving the SWAT forest module for enhancing water resource projections: A case study in the St. Croix River basin

Yang, Qichun; Zhang, Xuesong; Almendinger, James E.; Huang, Maoyi; Leng, Guoyong; Zhou, Yuyu; Zhao, Kaiguang; Asrar, Ghassem R.; Li, Xia; Qiu, Jiali

doi:10.1002/hyp.13370

Title: Improving the SWAT forest module for enhancing water resource projections: A case study in the St. Croix River basin

Journal Article · Mon Jan 14 00:00:00 EST 2019 · Hydrological Processes

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13370· OSTI ID:1786425

^[1]; Zhang, Xuesong ^[2]; Almendinger, James E. ^[3]; Huang, Maoyi ^[4]; Leng, Guoyong ^[4]; Zhou, Yuyu ^[5]; Zhao, Kaiguang ^[6]; Asrar, Ghassem R. ^[1]; Li, Xia ^[7]; Qiu, Jiali ^[8]

Joint Global Change Research Institute Pacific Northwest National Laboratory College Park Maryland
Joint Global Change Research Institute Pacific Northwest National Laboratory College Park Maryland, Earth System Sciences Interdisciplinary Center University of Maryland College Park Maryland
St. Croix Watershed Research Station Science Museum of Minnesota Marine on St. Croix Minnesota
Earth System Analysis and Modeling Group, Atmospheric Sciences &, Global Change Division Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland Washington
Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences Iowa State University Ames Iowa
School of Environment and Natural Resources The Ohio State University Wooster Ohio
Department of Geographical Sciences University of Maryland College Park Maryland
School of Environment Beijing Normal University Beijing China

Abstract Insufficiently calibrated forest parameters of the Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) may introduce uncertainties to water resource projections in forested watersheds. In this study, we improved SWAT forest parameterization and phosphorus cycling representations to better simulate forest ecosystems in the St. Croix River basin, and we further examined how those improvements affected model projections of streamflow, sediment, and nitrogen export under future climate conditions. Simulations with improved forest parameters substantially reduced model estimates of water, sediment, and nitrogen fluxes relative to those based on default parameters. Differences between improved and default projections can be attributed to the enhanced representation of forest water consumption, nutrient uptake, and protection of soil from erosion. Better representation of forest ecosystems in SWAT contributes to constraining uncertainties in water resource projections. Results of this study highlight the importance of improving SWAT forest ecosystem representations in projecting delivery of water, sediment, and nutrients from land to rivers in response to climate change, particularly for watersheds with large areas of forests. Improved forest parameters and the phosphorus weathering algorithms developed in this study are expected to help enhance future applications of SWAT to investigate hydrological and biogeochemical consequences of climate change.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: DE‐FC02‐07ER64494; DOE EERE OBP 20469‐19145; KP1601050

OSTI ID:: 1786425

Journal Information:: Hydrological Processes, Journal Name: Hydrological Processes Vol. 33 Journal Issue: 5; ISSN 0885-6087

Publisher:: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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Cited by: 11 works

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