Snowmelt Runoff Model (SRM) User's Manual Featuring the New Computer Program Winsrm Version 1.11
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J. Martinec, A. Rango, R. Roberts Snowmelt Runoff Model (SRM) User’s Manual Edited by Enrique Gómez-Landesa & Max P. Bleiweiss WINDOWS PROGRAM FOR IMPROVED RUNOFF FORECASTS AND EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE Agricultural Experiment Station • Special Report 100 College of Agriculture and Home Economics Acknowledgment It has taken the efforts of many people and the support of their organization during the last several years to allow us to reach this new milestone in snowmelt runoff modeling. The following organizations and people were particularly helpful and supportive: USDA/ARS Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, NM USDA/ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory, Beltsville, MD Bureau of Reclamation—El Paso, TX (Mr. Michael Landis) Rio Grande Basin Initiative, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM NMSU Water Task Force, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM (Mr. Craig Runyan) US Army Corps of Engineers—Albuquerque, NM (Ms. Gail Stockton) US Army Research Laboratory—WSMR, NM McElyea Family Endowment for Water Research S R M SNOWMELT RUNOFF MODEL USER’S MANUAL UPDATED EDITION FOR WINDOWS WinSRM Version 1.11 February, 2008 Jaroslav Martinec, Albert Rango & Ralph Roberts Edited by Enrique Gómez-Landesa & Max P. Bleiweiss 2 This publication is an updated edition of the Snowmelt Runoff Model (SRM) User's Manual featuring the new computer program WinSRM Version 1.11 Printing history: 1983 NASA Reference Publication 1100, Washington, D.C., 20546, U.S.A. 1992 Updated Edition, Version 3.2, Hydrology Laboratory Technical Report HL-17, USDA Hydrology Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705, U.S.A. 1994 Updated Edition, Version 3.2, Geographica Bernensia P29, Department of Geography, University of Berne, Switzerland. 1998 Updated Edition, Version 4.0, Geographica Bernensia P35, Department of Geography, University of Berne, Switzerland. 1998 Russian Edition, Version 4.0, Department of Geography, University of Berne, Switzerland. 1999 Spanish Edition, Version 4.0, USDA Hydrology Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, U.S.A. 2008 Updated Edition for Windows, WinSRM Version 1.11, USDA Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, U.S.A. 3 SNOWMELT RUNOFF MODEL (SRM) USER'S MANUAL (Updated Edition 2008, Windows Version 1.11) J. Martinec Consulting Hydrologist Davos, Switzerland A. Rango Jornada Experimental Range USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA R. Roberts Hydrology & Remote Sensing Laboratory USDA-ARS Beltsville, Maryland, USA Edited by E. Gómez-Landesa M. P. Bleiweiss New Mexico State University Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA 4 Contents 1 PREFACE ...................................................................................................................................13 2 INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................13 3 RANGE OF CONDITIONS FOR MODEL APPLICATION ......................................................................14 4 MODEL STRUCTURE ....................................................................................................................19 5 NECESSARY DATA FOR RUNNING THE MODEL ..............................................................................21 5.1 Basin characteristics ......................................................................................................21 5.1.1 Basin and zone areas .....................................................................................21 5.1.2 Area-elevation curve ......................................................................................22 5.2 Variables ......................................................................................................................23 5.2.1 Temperature and degree-days, T ....................................................................23 5.2.2 Precipitation, P ..............................................................................................24 5.2.3 Snow covered area, S ....................................................................................25 5.3 Parameters...................................................................................................................29 5.3.1 Runoff coefficient, c .......................................................................................29 5.3.2 Degree-day factor, a ......................................................................................31 5.3.3 Temperature lapse rate, γ...............................................................................32 5.3.4 Critical temperature, TCRIT ...............................................................................33 5.3.5 Rainfall contributing area, RCA........................................................................33 5.3.6 Recession coefficient, k ..................................................................................34 5.3.7 Time Lag, L...................................................................................................40 6 ASSESSMENT OF THE MODEL ACCURACY......................................................................................42 6.1 Accuracy criteria............................................................................................................42 6.1.1 Accuracy criteria in model tests.......................................................................44 6.1.2 Model accuracy outside the snowmelt season...................................................46 6.2 Elimination of possible errors..........................................................................................46 7 OPERATION OF THE MODEL FOR REAL TIME FORECASTS ..............................................................50 7.1 Extrapolation of the snow coverage ................................................................................50 7.2 Updating ......................................................................................................................55 8 YEAR-ROUND RUNOFF SIMULATION FOR A CHANGED CLIMATE .....................................................57 8.1 Snowmelt runoff computation in the winter half year........................................................57 8.2 Change of snow accumulation in the new climate ............................................................59 8.3 Runoff simulation for scenarios of the future climate ........................................................61 8.4 Model parameters in a changed climate ..........................................................................69 8.5 Normalization of data to represent the present climate.....................................................70 8.6 WinSRM to improve real time runoff forecasts .................................................................77 5 9 RUNOFF MODELING IN GLACIERIZED BASINS ...............................................................................78 9.1 Runoff increase in a warmer climate from glacier melt......................................................78 9.2 Long term behavior of glaciers in a warming climate ........................................................82 10 SRM FOR WINDOWS (WINSRM) COMPUTER PROGRAM ...............................................................83 10.1 Program overview .......................................................................................................83 10.1.1 Historical background ...................................................................................83 10.1.2 Program description .....................................................................................84 10.1.3 Capabilities and limitations............................................................................85 10.2 WinSRM user interface.................................................................................................85 10.2.1 Entry window features..................................................................................85 10.3 WinSRM window descriptions .......................................................................................87 10.3.1 Welcome to WinSRM window ........................................................................87 10.3.1.1 Purpose..............................................................................................87 10.3.1.2 Buttons ..............................................................................................87 10.3.2 WinSRM main window ..................................................................................88 10.3.2.1 Purpose..............................................................................................88 10.3.2.2 Menu .................................................................................................88 10.3.2.3 Buttons ..............................................................................................93 10.3.2.4 Basin definition frame..........................................................................94 10.3.2.5 Basin simulation frame.........................................................................94 10.3.2.6 Status bar...........................................................................................95 10.3.3 Edit simulation control information window ....................................................95 10.3.3.1 Method of access ................................................................................95 10.3.3.2 Purpose..............................................................................................96