Simulating hydrological impact of environmental change in the Abukuma watershed, Japan

摘要

The WEP model was applied to the Abukuma watershed in Japan (5,400 km2). The model is validated with observed discharges at several locations in 2002, and then applied to simulations for 2003 and 2004 in a time step of 1 hour and a grid cell size of 500 m. The simulation results showed good agreements with observed in both low streamfiow and flood hydrographs. The hydrological impacts of possible future environmental changes in the watershed, i.e. increase in air temperature, rainfall intensity and patterns, land use alteration and urbanization, are simulated using the WEP model. Evaporation, surface runoff and groundwater recharge are found sensitive to the environmental changes, and the hydrographs are also modified.