Title: Neural network approach to output updating for the physically-based model of the Upper Thames River watershed

Authors: Ponselvi Jeevaragagam; Slobodan P. Simonovic

Addresses: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai 81310, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B9, Canada

Abstract: This study presents an output updating procedure for the deterministic physically-based model of the Upper Thames River watershed, Ontario, Canada. In addition to streamflow and rainfall, this procedure uses as inputs meteorological variables not employed in the model calibration. The main hydrological processes involved in transformation of rainfall into runoff are mathematically expressed using a set of key variables. Therefore, some of the available meteorological variables may be of limited value during the calibration that predominantly relies on a large range of flow hydrographs for obtaining the optimum state variables and parameters of the model. In this study, the Bayesian regularisation neural network technique is coupled with the physically-based model to provide more accurate flood flow simulation for a wide range of flood flow event hydrographs pertinent to the hydrometeorological environment. The artificial neural network is capable of generating good generalisation results after complex input-output mapping.

Keywords: artificial neural networks; ANNs; ungauged watershed; streamflow improvement; flood flow event hydrography; climates; rainfall; hydrological modelling; Canada; meteorological variables; flood flow simulation; river flooding; runoff.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHST.2012.049188

International Journal of Hydrology Science and Technology, 2012 Vol.2 No.3, pp.306 - 324

Published online: 16 Aug 2014 *

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