Effects of Spatial Data Resolution and Subarea Size on a Distributed Runoff Model

by Thomas A. Seybert, (M.ASCE),
Chin Y. Kuo, (M.ASCE),



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: North American Water and Environment Congress & Destructive Water

Abstract:

Spatial data layers of elevation, land use, and soils for a small agricultural watershed in Pennsylvania were used to study the effect of resolution degradation of raster data on the output of an event based surface runoff model. Square cell dimensions ranging from 5 meters to 500 meters were investigated. The Penn State Runoff Quality Model (PSRM-QUAL) was used in the analysis. The model utilizes the kinematic wave relation and is structured around the delineation of a watershed into multiple subareas. Because of the multiple subarea structure of the model, the effect of average subarea size on the model output was also investigated. ARC/INFO was used to create the spatial data sets and compute the average subarea runoff parameters for model input.

Subject Headings: Spatial data | Runoff | Watersheds | Structural models | Computer models | Kinematic waves | Surface waves | Pennsylvania | United States

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