Regional scale hydrology: II. Application of the VIC-2L model to the Weser River, Germany

Abstract

This paper describes the application of a grid network version of the twolayer Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC-2L) macroscale hydrological model. The VIC-2L model is implemented on a rotated grid, which is compatible with the weather forecast and climate model REMO (Regional Model), a joint project of the German Weather Service (DWD), GKSS Research Centre and the Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg. Observed surface meteorological data in the Weser River basin are used to force the model off-line on a daily time step. After a 22-month calibration period, simulated and measured streamflow data are compared for a 12-year period. The resulting predictions compare well with observations at daily, monthly and annual time scales. A sensitivity analysis is presented.