This project focuses on the development of a new semi-distributed, physically-based modeling system (HYDROL-D) for continuously simulating hydrologic processes in depression-dominated areas. HYDROL-D has a unique model structure to handle surface runoff routing across depressional surfaces. In the HYDROL-D system, a watershed is delineated into a number of subbasins, each of which is further divided into a main channel and many puddle-based units (PBUs), off-stream channel-based units (CBUs), and on-stream CBUs. Surface runoff generated in all PBUs and off-stream CBUs flows into their associated downstream units and then into the onstream CBUs. The runoff water in the on-stream CBUs of a subbasin eventually flows into the main channel, which is further routed in the model. HYDROL-D system has a unique model structure that facilitates the simulation of water movement along the vertical direction. Specifically, each modeling unit (e.g., a PBU) consists of four zones, including canopy zone, snow zone, surface zone, and soil zone. All units in a subbasin share a common shallow groundwater zone. The HYDROL-D system was applied to five upstream subbasins in the Devils Lake watershed in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) to analyze the impacts of depressions on hydrologic processes on a daily time scale. The model was calibrated and validated by comparing the simulated and observed discharges. This study demonstrated the improved applicability and capability of the HYDROL-D modeling system, especially for depression-dominated regions.

Peer-Reviewed Journal Papers

     Wang, N., Zhang, X., and Chu, X. 2019. New model for simulating hydrologic processes under influence of surface depressions. Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 24(5), 04019008, 1-13, doi:10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0001772.

Conference/Seminar Presentations

     Wang, N., Zhang, X., and Chu, X. 2018. A new model for rainfall-runoff simulation in depression dominated areas. ASCE 2018 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress, June 3-7, 2018, Minneapolis, MN (Oral Presentation).

     Wang, N., and Chu, X. 2018. A novel modeling framework for simulating dynamic water release from depressions. ND EPSCoR 2018 State Conference, April 17, 2018, Grand Forks, ND (Poster Presentation).

     Wang, N., and Chu, X. 2019. A new daily semi-distributed hydrologic model for depression dominated areas. ND EPSCoR 2019 State Conference, March 27, 2019, Fargo, ND (Poster Presentation).