Baseflow representation module on MODCEL

ABSTRACT The land use characteristics of rural watersheds allow infiltration and consequent generation of groundwater flow, which constitutes a significant contribution to the hydrograph. Prior to this study, the MODCEL-COPPE/UFRJ model simulated only runoff, disregarding the losses occurred in rainfall-runoff process. Therefore, its application was more appropriate to urban watersheds, simulating flood events where surface flows prevail. This study aimed at representing the infiltration process and at incorporating the groundwater flow in the MODCEL’s structure, making feasible the rural watersheds simulation thus expanding its applicability as a hydrological model. A case study was performed in a 417 km2 subcatchment of Piabanha River, located at Petrópolis/RJ. It’s a predominantly rural watershed, with 80% of its area covered by forests. The model represented satisfactorily the seasonality and the magnitude of simulated recharges. In the parameter calibration procedure gave a coefficient of determination R2 = 0.75, comparing the calculated flows to the observed flows. During validation period, we obtained a coefficient of determination R2 = 0.76. The fit obtained was superior to that obtained in previous modeling of the same watershed by SMAP and MODCEL (previous version) and it was similar to TOPMODEL. In the hydrograph recession, new MODCEL presented R2 = 0.75, against 0.52 obtained in its previous version. RESUMO As condições de uso e ocupação do solo de bacias hidrográficas rurais favorecem a infiltração e a consequente geração de escoamento subterrâneo, que constitui significativa contribuição para o hidrograma. Previamente à elaboração deste trabalho, o modelo MODCEL-COPPE/UFRJ somente simulava a chuva efetiva, desconsiderando as perdas ocorridas no processo de transformação de precipitação em escoamento superficial. Desta maneira, sua aplicação era mais adequada a bacias urbanas, na simulação de eventos de cheia, com predominância de escoamentos superficiais. Este estudo objetivou individualizar a infiltração e incorporar o escoamento de base à estrutura do MODCEL, viabilizando a simulação de bacias rurais e ampliando a sua aplicabilidade enquanto modelo hidrológico. Foi realizado um estudo de caso em uma sub-bacia do rio Piabanha de 417 km2, localizada em Petrópolis/RJ. Trata-se de uma bacia predominantemente rural, com 80% de sua área coberta por florestas. O modelo representou satisfatoriamente a sazonalidade e a magnitude das vazões. Na fase