Evaluation of down scaling predicted precipitation in a coupled modeling system
- Keeley R.
- Chris D.
- C. Larrabee
- James R.
- David L.
With limited supplies and increasing demands for water resources, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, it is becoming increasingly important to understand the workings of the hydrologic cycle within river basins. A thorough understanding of the typical precipitation and runoff and the nature of the their variability is vital for planning the best use of these water resources. In the long term, all aspects of the hydrologic cycle affect the availability of water and it is therefore important to explore the entire cycle in order to understand the potential effects of increased water use and of changes in the regional climate. To simulate water resources, we are coupling a series of existing and previously tested models that address the multitude of physical processes and temporal and spatial scales that are important (Bossert, et al., 1999). The modeling system (Figure 1) includes the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) (Pielke et al., 1992), which simulates regional climate and provides meteorological variables and precipitation to the Los Alamos Distributed Hydrologic System (LADHS), a land-surface hydrology model. The Finite Element Heat and Mass (FEHM) model (Zyvoloski et al, 1997) is being added to the system to include ground water in the simulations. This modeling system is being applied to the upper Rio Grande Basin of Colorado and New Mexico. The headwaters of the Rio Grande are located in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado and the upper portions of the river are fed primarily by snowmelt from winter storms. In contrast, the lower portions of the river accumulate runoff from thunderstorms of tho summer monsoon season.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 975776
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-01-5558; TRN: US201018%%863
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Submitted to: 16th Conference on Hydrology, January 14-17, 2002, Orlando, FL
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Brief summary of LADHS: Los Alamos distributed hydrologic modeling system.