Scale issues in hydrological modelling: A review

G. Blöschl; M. Sivapalan

doi:10.1002/hyp.3360090305

journal article Apr 01, 1995

Scale issues in hydrological modelling: A review

G. Blöschl M. Sivapalan

Hydrological Processes Vol. 9 No. 3-4 pp. 251-290 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1002/hyp.3360090305

Abstract

AbstractA framework is provided for scaling and scale issues in hydrology. The first section gives some basic definitions. This is important as researchers do not seem to have agreed on the meaning of concepts such as scale or upscaling. ‘Process scale’, ‘observation scale’ and ‘modelling (working) scale’ require different definitions. The second section discusses heterogeneity and variability in catchments and touches on the implications of randomness and organization for scaling. The third section addresses the linkages across scales from a modelling point of view. It is argued that upscaling typically consists of two steps: distributing and aggregating. Conversely, downscaling involves disaggregation and singling out. Different approaches are discussed for linking state variables, parameters, inputs and conceptualizations across scales. This section also deals with distributed parameter models, which are one way of linking conceptualizations across scales. The fourth section addresses the linkages across scales from a more holistic perspective dealing with dimensional analysis and similarity concepts. The main difference to the modelling point of view is that dimensional analysis and similarity concepts deal with complex processes in a much simpler fashion. Examples of dimensional analysis, similarity analysis and functional normalization in catchment hydrology are given. This section also briefly discusses fractals, which are a popular tool for quantifying variability across scales. The fifth section focuses on one particular aspect of this holistic view, discussing stream network analysis. The paper concludes with identifying key issues and gives some directions for future research.

Topics

No keywords indexed for this article. Browse by subject →

References

316

[1]

10.1029/wr026i008p01843

[2]

10.1016/0022-1694(86)90115-0

[3]

10.1016/0022-1694(89)90173-x

[4]

Allen T. F. H. (1982)

[5]

Anderson M. G. (1988)

[6]

Anderson M. G. (1990)

[7]

10.1130/0016-7606(1989)101<0501:hfmtdl>2.3.co;2

[8]

10.1029/91wr00574

[9]

10.1175/1520-0450(1972)011<0926:aotsop>2.0.co;2

[10]

10.1002/hyp.3360090514

[11]

10.1029/wr014i002p00263

[12]

Topographic Partition of Watersheds with Digital Elevation Models

Lawrence E. Band

Water Resources Research 10.1029/wr022i001p00015

[13]

10.1002/hyp.3360090312

[14]

10.1029/91wr02896

[15]

10.1029/93wr03346

[16]

BathurstJ. C.andCooley K. R.‘Use of the SHE hydrological modelling system to investigate basin response to snowmelt at Reynolds Creek Idaho’ J. Hydrol. in press.

[17]

Benecke P. (1992)

[18]

Bergström S. "Principles and confidence in hydrological modelling" Nordic Hydrol. (1991) 10.2166/nh.1991.0009

[19]

Kinematic subsurface stormflow

Keith Beven

Water Resources Research 10.1029/wr017i005p01419

[20]

10.1007/978-94-009-4678-1_6

[21]

10.1016/0022-1694(89)90101-7

[22]

10.1007/978-94-011-3480-4_16

[23]

10.1002/hyp.3360060302

[24]

A physically based, variable contributing area model of basin hydrology / Un modèle à base physique de zone d'appel variable de l'hydrologie du bassin versant

K. J. BEVEN, M. J. KIRKBY

Hydrological Sciences Bulletin 10.1080/02626667909491834

[25]

Beven K. (1993)

[26]

Beven K. "SHE: towards a methodology for physically‐based distributed forecasting in hydrology" Proc. Oxford Symp., IAHS Publ. (1980)

[27]

10.1016/0022-1694(88)90192-8

[28]

10.1029/wr025i006p01227

[29]

10.1029/91wr02250

[30]

Blöschl G. "Organisation and randomness in catchments and the verification of hydrologic models" EOS, Trans. Am. Geophys. Union (1993)

[31]

Blöschl G. (1994)

[32]

10.1002/hyp.3360090307

[33]

Blöschl G. Gutknecht D. andGrayson R. B.‘On spatial organisation and randomness in hydrology’ Wat. Resour. Res. submitted.

[34]

10.1029/92wr02373

[35]

Bridges E. M. (1982)

[36]

10.1103/physrev.4.345

[37]

10.1111/j.1365-2389.1985.tb00351.x

[38]

Canterford R. P. (1987)

[39]

Carlson A. B. (1986)

[40]

10.1016/0022-1694(79)90068-4

[41]

Chang H. H. "Mathematical model for erodible channels" J. Hydraul. Div. ASCE (1982) 10.1061/jyceaj.0005864

[42]

10.1002/hyp.3360060307

[43]

10.1103/physreva.40.4593

[44]

Chorley R. J. (1984)

[45]

Chow V. T. (1988)

[46]

10.1007/bf00139438

[47]

10.1029/93wr00745

[48]

10.1029/wr018i002p00413

[49]

10.1029/wr019i006p01641

[50]

10.1029/wr020i011p01668

Showing 50 of 316 references

Cited By

1,392

Nonlinear dynamics of stream nutrient concentrations: low dimensionality, structured complexity, and seasonal predictability horizon

Wasif Bin Mamoon, Richard J. Povinelli · 2026

Journal of Hydrology

A Critical Appraisal on Various Hydrological and Hydrodynamic Models

Chander Kant, Ray Singh Meena · 2025

Water Conservation Science and Engi...

Rationale for field-specific on-farm precision experimentation

Paul B. Hegedus, Bruce D. Maxwell · 2022

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Envir...

Fill‐and‐Spill: A Process Description of Runoff Generation at the Scale of the Beholder

Jeffrey J. McDonnell, Christopher Spence · 2021

Water Resources Research

Blooms of a key grazer in the Southern Ocean – An individual-based model of Salpa thompsoni

Jürgen Groeneveld, Uta Berger · 2020

Progress in Oceanography

Sociohydrology: Scientific Challenges in Addressing the Sustainable Development Goals

Giuliano Di Baldassarre, Murugesu Sivapalan · 2019

Water Resources Research

Impact of antecedent soil moisture on runoff from a semiarid catchment

Gerhard Schoener, Mark C. Stone · 2019

Journal of Hydrology

From engineering hydrology to Earth system science: milestones in the transformation of hydrologic science

Murugesu Sivapalan · 2018

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences

Hydrological simulation of river basins at different spatial scales: 1. Generalization and averaging algorithms

Yu. G. Motovilov · 2016

Water Resources

Predicting Surface Runoff from Catchment to Large Region

Hongxia Li, Xinyao Zhou · 2015

Advances in Meteorology

Hydrological partitioning in the critical zone: Recent advances and opportunities for developing transferable understanding of water cycle dynamics

Paul D. Brooks, Jon Chorover · 2015

Water Resources Research

Using the OpenMI standard for developing integrated systems of hydrological modeling

A. N. Bugaets · 2014

Russian Meteorology and Hydrology

Future changes to the intensity and frequency of short-duration extreme rainfall

S. Westra, H. J. Fowler · 2014

Reviews of Geophysics

An experience of updated hydrological network data processing using the CUAHSI HIS ODM data management system

A. N. Bugaets, B. I. Gartsman · 2013

Russian Meteorology and Hydrology

Spatial scale effects of water erosion dynamics: Complexities, variabilities, and uncertainties

Wei Wei, Liding Chen · 2012

Chinese Geographical Science

Scale Issues in Remote Sensing: A Review on Analysis, Processing and Modeling

Hua Wu, Zhao-Liang Li · 2009

Sensors

On the value of soil moisture measurements in vadose zone hydrology: A review

H. Vereecken, J. A. Huisman · 2008

Water Resources Research

Review of spatial variability of snowpack properties and its importance for avalanche formation

Jürg Schweizer, Kalle Kronholm · 2008

Cold Regions Science and Technology

Regionalisation of catchment model parameters

Ralf Merz, Günter Blöschl · 2004

Journal of Hydrology

Metrics

1,392

Citations

316

References

Details

Published: Apr 01, 1995
Vol/Issue: 9(3-4)
Pages: 251-290
License: View

Authors

Cite This Article

G. Blöschl, M. Sivapalan (1995). Scale issues in hydrological modelling: A review. Hydrological Processes, 9(3-4), 251-290. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.3360090305

Scale issues in hydrological modelling: A review

You May Also Like