Search Results
Understanding each other's models: an introduction and a standard representation of 16 global water models to support intercomparison, improvement, and communication
2021-6-24, Telteu, Camelia-Eliza, Müller Schmied, Hannes, Thiery, Wim, Leng, Guoyong, Burek, Peter, Liu, Xingcai, Boulange, Julien Eric Stanislas, Andersen, Lauren Seaby, Grillakis, Manolis, Gosling, Simon Newland, Satoh, Yusuke, Rakovec, Oldrich, Stacke, Tobias, Chang, Jinfeng, Wanders, Niko, Shah, Harsh Lovekumar, Trautmann, Tim, Mao, Ganquan, Hanasaki, Naota, Koutroulis, Aristeidis, Pokhrel, Yadu, Samaniego, Luis, Wada, Yoshihide, Mishra, Vimal, Liu, Junguo, Döll, Petra, Zhao, Fang, Gädeke, Anne, Rabin, Sam S., Herz, Florian
Global water models (GWMs) simulate the terrestrial water cycle on the global scale and are used to assess the impacts of climate change on freshwater systems. GWMs are developed within different modelling frameworks and consider different underlying hydrological processes, leading to varied model structures. Furthermore, the equations used to describe various processes take different forms and are generally accessible only from within the individual model codes. These factors have hindered a holistic and detailed understanding of how different models operate, yet such an understanding is crucial for explaining the results of model evaluation studies, understanding inter-model differences in their simulations, and identifying areas for future model development. This study provides a comprehensive overview of how 16 state-of-the-art GWMs are designed. We analyse water storage compartments, water flows, and human water use sectors included in models that provide simulations for the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project phase 2b (ISIMIP2b). We develop a standard writing style for the model equations to enhance model intercomparison, improvement, and communication. In this study, WaterGAP2 used the highest number of water storage compartments, 11, and CWatM used 10 compartments. Six models used six compartments, while four models (DBH, JULES-W1, Mac-PDM.20, and VIC) used the lowest number, three compartments. WaterGAP2 simulates five human water use sectors, while four models (CLM4.5, CLM5.0, LPJmL, and MPI-HM) simulate only water for the irrigation sector. We conclude that, even though hydrological processes are often based on similar equations for various processes, in the end these equations have been adjusted or models have used different values for specific parameters or specific variables. The similarities and differences found among the models analysed in this study are expected to enable us to reduce the uncertainty in multi-model ensembles, improve existing hydrological processes, and integrate new processes.
A comparison of changes in river runoff from multiple global and catchment-scale hydrological models under global warming scenarios of 1 °C, 2 °C and 3 °C
2016, Gosling, Simon N., Zaherpour, Jamal, Mount, Nick J., Hattermann, Fred F., Dankers, Rutger, Arheimer, Berit, Breuer, Lutz, Ding, Jie, Haddeland, Ingjerd, Kumar, Rohini, Kundu, Dipangkar, Liu, Junguo, van Griensven, Ann, Veldkamp, Ted I.E., Vetter, Tobias, Wang, Xiaoyan, Zhang, Xinxin
We present one of the first climate change impact assessments on river runoff that utilises an ensemble of global hydrological models (Glob-HMs) and an ensemble of catchment-scale hydrological models (Cat-HMs), across multiple catchments: the upper Amazon, Darling, Ganges, Lena, upper Mississippi, upper Niger, Rhine and Tagus. Relative changes in simulated mean annual runoff (MAR) and four indicators of high and low extreme flows are compared between the two ensembles. The ensemble median values of changes in runoff with three different scenarios of global-mean warming (1, 2 and 3 °C above pre-industrial levels) are generally similar between the two ensembles, although the ensemble spread is often larger for the Glob-HM ensemble. In addition the ensemble spread is normally larger than the difference between the two ensemble medians. Whilst we find compelling evidence for projected runoff changes for the Rhine (decrease), Tagus (decrease) and Lena (increase) with global warming, the sign and magnitude of change for the other catchments is unclear. Our model results highlight that for these three catchments in particular, global climate change mitigation, which limits global-mean temperature rise to below 2 °C above preindustrial levels, could avoid some of the hydrological hazards that could be seen with higher magnitudes of global warming.
Evapotranspiration simulations in ISIMIP2a—Evaluation of spatio-temporal characteristics with a comprehensive ensemble of independent datasets
2018, Wartenburger, Richard, Seneviratne, Sonia I, Hirschi, Martin, Chang, Jinfeng, Ciais, Philippe, Deryng, Delphine, Elliott, Joshua, Folberth, Christian, Gosling, Simon N, Gudmundsson, Lukas, Henrot, Alexandra-Jane, Hickler, Thomas, Ito, Akihiko, Khabarov, Nikolay, Kim, Hyungjun, Leng, Guoyong, Liu, Junguo, Liu, Xingcai, Masaki, Yoshimitsu, Morfopoulos, Catherine, Müller, Christoph, Müller Schmied, Hannes, Nishina, Kazuya, Orth, Rene, Pokhrel, Yadu, Pugh, Thomas A M, Satoh, Yusuke, Schaphoff, Sibyll, Schmid, Erwin, Sheffield, Justin, Stacke, Tobias, Steinkamp, Joerg, Tang, Qiuhong, Thiery, Wim, Wada, Yoshihide, Wang, Xuhui, Weedon, Graham P, Yang, Hong, Zhou, Tian
Actual land evapotranspiration (ET) is a key component of the global hydrological cycle and an essential variable determining the evolution of hydrological extreme events under different climate change scenarios. However, recently available ET products show persistent uncertainties that are impeding a precise attribution of human-induced climate change. Here, we aim at comparing a range of independent global monthly land ET estimates with historical model simulations from the global water, agriculture, and biomes sectors participating in the second phase of the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP2a). Among the independent estimates, we use the EartH2Observe Tier-1 dataset (E2O), two commonly used reanalyses, a pre-compiled ensemble product (LandFlux-EVAL), and an updated collection of recently published datasets that algorithmically derive ET from observations or observations-based estimates (diagnostic datasets). A cluster analysis is applied in order to identify spatio-temporal differences among all datasets and to thus identify factors that dominate overall uncertainties. The clustering is controlled by several factors including the model choice, the meteorological forcing used to drive the assessed models, the data category (models participating in the different sectors of ISIMIP2a, E2O models, diagnostic estimates, reanalysis-based estimates or composite products), the ET scheme, and the number of soil layers in the models. By using these factors to explain spatial and spatio-temporal variabilities in ET, we find that the model choice mostly dominates (24%–40% of variance explained), except for spatio-temporal patterns of total ET, where the forcing explains the largest fraction of the variance (29%). The most dominant clusters of datasets are further compared with individual diagnostic and reanalysis-based estimates to assess their representation of selected heat waves and droughts in the Great Plains, Central Europe and western Russia. Although most of the ET estimates capture these extreme events, the generally large spread among the entire ensemble indicates substantial uncertainties.
Worldwide evaluation of mean and extreme runoff from six global-scale hydrological models that account for human impacts
2018, Zaherpour, Jamal, Gosling, Simon N., Mount, Nick, Müller Schmied, Hannes, Veldkamp, Ted I. E., Dankers, Rutger, Eisner, Stephanie, Gerten, Dieter, Gudmundsson, Lukas, Haddeland, Ingjerd, Hanasaki, Naota, Kim, Hyungjun, Leng, Guoyong, Liu, Junguo, Masaki, Yoshimitsu, Oki, Taikan, Pokhrel, Yadu, Satoh, Yusuke, Schewe, Jacob, Wada, Yoshihide
Global-scale hydrological models are routinely used to assess water scarcity, flood hazards and droughts worldwide. Recent efforts to incorporate anthropogenic activities in these models have enabled more realistic comparisons with observations. Here we evaluate simulations from an ensemble of six models participating in the second phase of the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Inter-comparison Project (ISIMIP2a). We simulate monthly runoff in 40 catchments, spatially distributed across eight global hydrobelts. The performance of each model and the ensemble mean is examined with respect to their ability to replicate observed mean and extreme runoff under human-influenced conditions. Application of a novel integrated evaluation metric to quantify the models' ability to simulate timeseries of monthly runoff suggests that the models generally perform better in the wetter equatorial and northern hydrobelts than in drier southern hydrobelts. When model outputs are temporally aggregated to assess mean annual and extreme runoff, the models perform better. Nevertheless, we find a general trend in the majority of models towards the overestimation of mean annual runoff and all indicators of upper and lower extreme runoff. The models struggle to capture the timing of the seasonal cycle, particularly in northern hydrobelts, while in southern hydrobelts the models struggle to reproduce the magnitude of the seasonal cycle. It is noteworthy that over all hydrological indicators, the ensemble mean fails to perform better than any individual model—a finding that challenges the commonly held perception that model ensemble estimates deliver superior performance over individual models. The study highlights the need for continued model development and improvement. It also suggests that caution should be taken when summarising the simulations from a model ensemble based upon its mean output.
Quantifying Water Scarcity in Northern China Within the Context of Climatic and Societal Changes and South-to-North Water Diversion
2020, Yin, Yuanyuan, Wang, Lei, Wang, Zhongjing, Tang, Qiuhong, Piao, Shilong, Chen, Deliang, Xia, Jun, Conradt, Tobias, Liu, Junguo, Wada, Yoshihide, Cai, Ximing, Xie, Zhenghui, Duan, Qingyun, Li, Xiuping, Zhou, Jing, Zhang, Jianyun
With the increasing pressure from population growth and economic development, northern China (NC) faces a grand challenge of water scarcity, which can be further exacerbated by climatic and societal changes. The South-to-North Water Diversion (SNWD) project is designed to mitigate the water scarcity in NC. However, few studies have quantified the impact of the SNWD on water scarcity within the context of climatic and societal changes and its potential effects on economic and agricultural food in the region. We used water supply stress index (WaSSI) to quantify water scarcity within the context of environmental change in NC and developed a method to estimate the economic and agricultural impacts of the SNWD. Focuses were put on alleviating the water supply shortage and economic and agricultural benefits for the water-receiving NC. We find that societal changes, especially economic growth, are the major contributors to water scarcity in NC during 2009–2099. To completely mitigate the water scarcity of NC, at least an additional water supply of 13 billion m3/year (comparable to the annual diversion water by SNWD Central Route) will be necessary. Although SNWD alone cannot provide the full solution to NC's water shortage in next few decades, it can significantly alleviate the water supply stress in NC (particularly Beijing), considerably increasing the agricultural production (more than 115 Tcal/year) and bringing economic benefits (more than 51 billion RMB/year) through supplying industrial and domestic water use. Additionally, the transfer project could have impacts on the ecological environment in the exporting regions. ©2020. The Authors.