On the propagation of errors in catchment modelling systems

Date

2008

Authors

Westra, S.
Ball, J.

Editors

Advisors

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Type:

Conference paper

Citation

Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Urban Drainage, held in Edinburgh, Scotland, 31st of August-5th September, 2008: pp. 1-10

Statement of Responsibility

Seth Westra and James E. Ball

Conference Name

International Conference on Urban Drainage (11th : 2008 : Edinburgh, Scotland)

Abstract

The application of catchment modelling systems is now a common approach for management of catchments. Fundamental to the application of a catchment modelling system is the calibration and validation of the many control parameters used to ensure that the predicted catchment response adequately reproduces the actual catchment response. The calibration process, in general, consists of the systematic variation of control parameter values until a set of values is obtained that results in the adequate reproduction of the recorded catchment response. While this systematic variation may be undertaken manually, there have been a number of automatic calibration techniques which are based on the minimisation of differences between the predicted and recorded catchment response. Implicit in many of these techniques is the assumption that the residuals (ie variation between the predicted and the recorded catchment response) are independent, homoscedastic and normally distributed. Presented herein are the results of an investigation into these assumptions using the Powells Creek catchment in Sydney, Australia as a test catchment. It was found that these assumptions were not achievable on this typical catchment, and therefore a range of possible corrective measures were reviewed and tested. Results obtained from testing of these possible corrective measures are presented also.

School/Discipline

Dissertation Note

Provenance

Description

Access Status

Rights

Copyright status unknown

License

Grant ID

Call number

Persistent link to this record