Model Outputs from the Multi-model Intercomparison Project on the Saskatchewan-Nelson-Churchill River Basin

GeoNetwork Record: www.gwfnet.net/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/8f18cb88-65f4-4f03-b1c0-9b620ed25034

The data are model simulations from HYPE, WATFLOOD, SWAT, HBV, VIC, MESH, RAVEN and SUMMA. Model outputs include:
- Simulated daily streamflow for selected gauges in Saskatchewan-Nelson-Churchill river basin
- Simulated evapotranspiration for selected sub-watersheds in the Saskatchewan-Nelson-Churchill river basin
- Simulated surface and root-zone soil moisture for selected sub-watersheds in the Saskatchewan-Nelson-Churchill river basin
- Simulated snow water equivalent for selected sub-watersheds in the Saskatchewan-Nelson-Churchill river basin
- etc.

The Nelson-MiP project aims to evaluate internal model processes and generate an ensemble of GWF land surface and hydrologic model simulations in the Saskatchewan-Nelson-Churchill river basin (NCRB). Twelve models are currently participating in this modelling effort for various sub-watersheds (e.g. whole NCRB, Saskatchewan river, Red river, Upper Assiniboine, Lower Nelson) within the project domain. Expect project outcomes are simulated data such as daily discharge for selected locations, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, snow water equivalent etc. These data will be used to understand the drivers of the differences among models from an internal process perspective. We will also drive the developed models with transient CMIP6 future climate change scenarios to assess the reliability of the participating models for the prediction of key hydrologic processes and streamflow under changing climate conditions. The results of this project will serve to demonstrate the differences in model capabilities.

The Nelson-MiP project on the Saskatchewan-Nelson-Churchill river basin (NCRB) includes many process-based hydrologic and land surface models for operational and/or research purposes. Participating models include HYPE, WATFLOOD, SWAT, HBV, VIC, and MESH, as well as the modelling frameworks RAVEN and SUMMA. This three-year modelling experiment (2020-2022) has gathered hydrologic researchers and practitioners from many institutions across Canada. As part of the Global Water Futures (GWF) program, this project aims to evaluate internal model processes and generate an ensemble of GWF land surface and hydrologic models for NCRB. Beyond the understanding of the drivers of the differences among models from an internal process perspective, this project’s main contribution is to assess the reliability of the participating models for the prediction of key hydrologic processes and streamflow under climate change conditions. First year of this effort focuses on adapting the process-based models to the low-human impacted sub-watersheds while water regulations/ diversions will be accounted for in the second year. A set of CMIP6 climate models-driven present-day and future climate change impact projections on the watershed hydrology is foreseen for the third year of the project. The results of this project will serve to demonstrate the differences in model capabilities. We will also learn about the conditions under which each process algorithm is most applicable.

Nelson-Churchill river basin

Model name: HYPE
Model version number: 5.13.3 (latest version at the start of model setup)
Model source/webpage: https://hypeweb.smhi.se/model-water/documentation-download-open-source-code/
Model output pre-processing script: Internal script available at UC-HAL; Package HYPEtools available for R software
Model output post-processing script: Not yet available
Model setup:
- Lake-river routing derived from Han et al. 2020 (https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.3667677)
- NALCMS 2015 land use downloaded from https://www.mrlc.gov/data/north-american-land-change-monitoring-system
- GSDE soil data downloaded from http://globalchange.bnu.edu.cn/research/soilwd.jsp
- WFDEI-GEM-CaPA meteorological forcing taken from https://www.frdr-dfdr.ca/repo/handle/doi:10.20383/101.0111
- Measured daily streamflow discharge taken from Water Survey Canada and USGS website.
Time step: Daily from January 1, 1980 to December 31, 2016
Initial condition:
Boundary condition:
Additional information:
- Model spin-up from September 1, 1979 to December 31, 1979
- The time period for the simulations of future climate change impact on streamflow and related processes (for Phase 3 of Nelson-MiP) is not yet defined.

For other models, information on model run/ simulation will be provided when model simulations are ready and submitted to the project coordinator