Interactive Visualization for Evolutionary Optimization of Conceptual Rainfall-Streamflow Models

Abstract

Calibration is an essential part of the application of conceptual rainfall-streamflow models to watershed management problems for civil engineers. However, the identification of a unique set of parameters is difficult, if not impossible, for commonly used models. Most multiobjective methods and uncertainty assessment tools require substantial numbers of function evaluations and limit the intervention of experienced modelers in the calibration process. This paper demonstrates the application of an efficient user-driven calibration-support system to conceptual rainfall-streamflow models. The system is designed to assist the hydrological modeler by means of rapid sampling of solutions, clustering, and visualization, together with interactivity to exploit the expertise of the user and/or the knowledge revealed by the clustering technique. The efficiency of the multiobjective calibration is enhanced through the use of a novel objective function based on hydrograph slope. The application of the system to the calibration of the SIXPAR conceptual rainfall-streamflow model using a synthetic time series is shown to be effective.