5.4-Mathematical modelling of mountainous river basins - A case study in South India

Abstract

The study is aimed at the application of selected rainfall- runoff models to chosen river basins of Kerala, a state in India, characterized by their mountainous features. The application of four different rainfall-runoff models is carried out on two types of basins. The models considered are (i) Linear (ii) Linear perturbation (iii) Constrained Linear System and (iv) the TANK model. The comparative performance of the models are evaluated by means of the statistical performance indices computed for volume reproduction, mean, summation and deviation characteristics of the residuals. As a result of this investigation, the Linear Perturbation model is identified as the most suitable model for the steep and relatively small basins as encountered in Kerala which is subjected to seasonal rainfall.