Applicabilty of TRMM Precipitation for Hydrological Modeling Using HEC-HMS in Karnali River Basin in Nepal

Abstract

This study aims to validate the HEC-HMS model in the Karnali river basin of Nepal, while also physically verifying the model parameters for the area. The HEC-HMS model is a semi-distributed physically based model that requires site-specific information about the weather, as well as spatial information on soil and land use. Using Arc-GIS, HEC-HMS, and HEC DSS, a hydrological rainfall runoff model was developed for the Karnali River basin at Asaraghat (DHM station 240) for the period of 1998-2005. Calibration for the time period of 1998-2001 resulted in an NSE value of 73.2% and an R2 value of 84%. Validation for the time period of 2003-2005 resulted in an NSE value of 72.4% and an R2 value of 82.02%. To evaluate the performance of the TRMM 3B42V7 rainfall product, statistical indicators such as NSE and R2 were used. Results showed that the TRMM rainfall data was reliable and had good precision in application to the Karnali River Basin. This study concludes that the TRMM rainfall data can be used as an alternative data source for basins with sparse rain gauge stations in Nepal. The results also suggest that the HEC-HMS modeling tool is good enough to relate rainfall and runoff. The model parameters for each sub-basin and reaches were analyzed with the physical characteristics of the watershed. Minor variations were found within calibrated and calculated Initial abstraction and Muskingum K, x, leading to the verification of the model parameters physically.