TR-177 : Stream flow simulation of Satluj river using UBC watershed model

Abstract

Stream flow simulation is carried out for the Satluj river in the western Himalayan region using the UBC Watershed Model. Snowmelt and glacier melt runoff constitutes the maor part of flow during spring and summers in this river. Daily simulation is made considering the whole watershed as a single unit and splitting it into two sub-basins. Streamflows are simulated for each sub-basin separately and total outflow is obtained by simply adding the flows. Superior results are obtained by dividing the watershed into two different sub-basins. The results confirm that combining two hydrological different watersheds into a single watershed reduces simulation or forecasting accuracy. A brief description of the UBC Watershed Model is also presented. It is reported that areal distribution of precipitation is the most important factor in the streamflow simulation because snowpack is built up by the model from observed precipitation and from precipitation-elevation relationships.