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Spatial Water Balance and Hydrometerological Analysis of Devils Lake
Basin1
Assefa M. Melesse2, Vijay Nangia, David Baumgartner Earth System Science Institute, School of Aerospace Sciences University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202 ABSTRACT: The spatial distribution of stocks of water is useful in studying flood, water pollution and water supply problems. Flood prone and closed basin watersheds benefit from spatial water balance studies in understanding the hydrologic processes hence, deal with excess water problems. Grid-based spatial water balance approach was used to estimate the annual water balance of Devils Lake basin of the Red River of the North, northeastern North Dakota. Hydrometeorological analysis of the basin was conducted to capture the historical variability of the flood. Landsat images from 1991 to 2003 were used in the study. Using spatial precipitation, land-cover and soils data, grid-based surface runoff was estimated using the Curve Number method. The calibrated upstream runoff inflow for each grid cell was computed using a 10-m Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Spatial map of evapotranspiration was estimated for the study area from remotely-sensed data using a surface energy flux model. The spatial water balance for each grid was constructed using grid geographic information system (GIS). The hydrometerological analysis of the historical data showed the runoff inflow from upstream watersheds driven by snowmelt and spring rain falling on wet soil is the dominant source of the lake rise. Results show an increase in lake surface area by 117% between 1993 and 2003. The modeled average change in storage depth was compared to observed values of the lake stage. Results show that the procedure can predict the water balance of the basin for some of the years considered in this study. (KEYWORDS: water balance, Devils Lake, closed basin, remote sensing, GIS) 1 Journal of American Water Resources Association (in-review) 2 Corresponding author, assefa@aero.und.edu, Fax: (701) 777-2940 |
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