THE APPLICATION OF A SIMPLE LUMPED RIVER FLOW FORECASTING-MODEL TO HILLSLOPE SOIL-WATER STORAGE ESTIMATION

For a number of applied geomorphological and hydrological problems, the prediction of hillslope soil water conditions from restricted data is frequently required. Physically based distributed models of catchment hydrology are currently regarded as too cumbersome to meet these requirements either operationally or in a 'standard' research context. A simple lumped sequential flow forecasting model is applied to a 0.73 km2 catchment and it is shown that if field permeability is available, there is significant potential for the scheme to estimate the mean soil water storage in catchment segments. In addition, the model is shown to provide reliable river flow forecasting. Further more extensive trials of the model are needed on catchments with differing topography to compare with the preliminary results reported here. © 1990.