Maximum Streamflow - Warning Decision Training Division (WDTD)

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Maximum Streamflow

Short Description

The maximum surface water flow that has occurred at every grid point from a period of 30 minutes prior to model runtime out to 12 hours after model runtime

Subproducts

CREST, SAC-SMA, and Hydrophobic. The FLASH EF5 framework runs multiple hydrological models using a common input. For MRMS Version 12, there is a maximum streamflow product for each of the 3 models listed here.

Primary Users

NWS: WFO, RFC

Input Sources

MRMS Radar-Only QPE

Resolution

Spatial: ~1 km x 1 km

Temporal: 10 minutes

Product Creation

The FLASH EF5 model framework uses MRMS Radar-Only QPE as input into the 3 hydrological models (CREST, SAC-SMA, and Hydrophobic) which then use a subset of these hydrological principles (infiltration, storage, interflow, evapotranspiration, and runoff) to route the precipitation through the basins. The maximum water flow that occurs at any time in each grid point during the model run from a period of 30 minutes prior to model runtime through 12 hours after model runtime is assigned to each grid point.

Technical Details

Latest Update: MRMS Version 12

NOTE: In version 12, all FLASH products now use the instantaneous rainfall rates from the Dual-pol radar synthetic QPE product.

Accessible on:

Operational AWIPS
1. V11.5 -- MRMS menu
2. V12 -- via LDM, if set-up
MRMS Development site

References

Gourley, J., Z. Flamig, H. Vergara, P. Kirstetter, R. Clark III, E. Argyle, A. Arthur, S. Martinaitis, G. Terti, J. Erlingis, Y. Hong, and K. Howard, 2016: The Flooded Locations And Simulated Hydrographs (FLASH) project: improving the tools for flash flood monitoring and prediction across the United States. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-15-00247.1, in press.

Jiahu Wang , Yang Hong , Li Li , Jonathan J. Gourley , Sadiq I. Khan , Koray K. Yilmaz , Robert F. Adler , Frederick S. Policelli , Shahid Habib , Daniel Irwn , Ashutosh S. Limaye , Tesfaye Korme & Lawrence Okello (2011) The coupled routing and excess storage (CREST) distributed hydrological model, Hydrological Sciences Journal, 56:1, 84-98, DOI: 10.1080/02626667.2010.543087

Strengths

By modeling the water cycle using these more robust state-of-the-science hydrological models, flash flood prediction becomes more objective and scientifically sound.

Limitations

All limitations associated with MRMS Radar-Only QPE apply

Significant amounts of snowmelt are not accounted for in this version of FLASH

FLASH model does not account for river diversions such as dams

Rainfall forcing is stopped at the model initialization time

Modeled flow is not calibrated in real time using actual streamflow data from USGS gauging

Quality Control

This product is subject to the MRMS 3D Reflectivity Cube quality control (QC) process.

Applications

Visualize major streams and river networks to identify broad areas of high flow

Compare with USGS gauging sites (but keep context in mind)

Identify model biases which could affect Maximum Unit Streamflow

Example Images

Figure 1. Notice how over the Houston metro area (center part of graphic) there are broad flows of up to 10 m3/s (350 cfs). This shows how the CREST model is capable of producing overland flows because so much rain had fallen over this urban area, that the infiltration rates could not keep up and prevent overland runoff conditions.