An integrated error parameter estimation and lag-aware data assimilation scheme for real-time flood forecasting

•Optimal estimation of model and observation uncertainties applied to data assimilation.•Testing of a lag-aware data assimilation (EnKS) using real data.•Using EnKS and quantitative precipitation forecasts for operational flood forecasting. For operational flood forecasting, discharge observations may be assimilated into a hydrologic model to improve forecasts. However, the performance of conventional filtering schemes can be degraded by ignoring the time lag between soil moisture and discharge responses. This has led to ongoing development of more appropriate ways to implement sequential data assimilation. In this paper, an ensemble Kalman smoother (EnKS) with fixed time window is implemented for the GR4H hydrologic model (modèle du Génie Rural à 4 paramètres Horaire) to update current and antecedent model states. Model and observation error parameters are estimated through the maximum a posteriori method constrained by prior information drawn from flow gauging data. When evaluated in a hypothetical forecasting mode using observed rainfall, the EnKS is found to be more stable and produce more accurate discharge forecasts than a standard ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) by reducing the mean of the ensemble root mean squared error (MRMSE) by 13–17%. The latter tends to over-correct current model states and leads to spurious peaks and oscillations in discharge forecasts. When evaluated in a real-time forecasting mode using rainfall forecasts from a numerical weather prediction model, the benefit of the EnKS is reduced as uncertainty in rainfall forecasts becomes dominant, especially at large forecast lead time.