A Comparison Study of Streamflow with Satellite Derived and Point Measured Meteorological Data using QSWAT Modeling

Hydrologic cycle has a close relation with the earth surface and subsurface processes by its integration through its cycle, storage, and agricultural pattern. A hydrological modeling approach was used to predict rainfall-runoff/streamflow using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) with 3-different meteorological data. The objective of this study is to predict Rainfall-Runoff based on satellite derived rainfall data and compare the runoff results with point measured rainfall data. The two satellite derived rainfall data agencies were Centre for Hydrometeorology and Remote Sensing (CHRS) PERSIANN-CDR, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration–Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resource (NASA-POWER) and point measured data from Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), India. To achieve this objective, a watershed selected namely ‘Auranga’ watershed, situated in Jharkhand state of India. In this study 2 point stations ‘Balumath’ and ‘Latehar’ were selected to get rainfall data. The QSWAT model simulation performed with the above meteorological data from 3 different agencies. The analysis of QSWAT model results carried in 2 scenarios, such as scenario-1: results of annual sum of stream flow considering entire ‘Auranga’ watershed. In this scenario from IMD rainfall data annual streamflow was 629 m3/s and with satellite derived rainfall data are 521 m3/s, 429 m3/s from NASA-POWER, PERSIAN-CDR agencies respectively. Scenario-2: simulation results, considering the largest sub-watershed no.27 only, the annual peak runoff delivered from point measured IMD rainfall data was 392 mm and 270 mm, 221 mm from satellite derived NASA-POWER and PERSIANN-CDR rainfall data consecutively. As nut-shell, the QSWAT model simulation results reveals, that the point measured IMD precipitation data predicts higher streamflow/runoff values to satellite derived rainfall data.