Weekly Literature Review

Week 04 · January 20–26, 2020

28 relevant papers found across 6 themes

Executive Summary

Three landmark datasets dominated the week: the China Meteorological Forcing Dataset providing the first high-resolution gridded meteorological data for Chinese land-surface studies (1406 citations), the GOODD global dam database cataloguing over 38,000 georeferenced dams, and bias-corrected CMIP5 projections downscaled to ~1 km. Dang et al.’s study on representing water reservoir storage in large-scale hydrological models was exceptionally broad in scope, matching 10 of 16 search topics. Glacier projections for High Mountain Asia through 2100 and multiple flood-risk studies rounded out a data-rich week.

Executive Summary
Hydrological Datasets and Climate Projections
Flood Risk Assessment and Management
Water Reservoir Operations and Large-Scale Modeling
1. On the representation of water reservoir storage and operations in large-scale hydrological models: implications on model parameterization and climate change impact assessments
2. A water resource simulator in Python
Drought and Climate Variability
Glacier and Cryosphere Hydrology
Hydrologic Modeling and Watershed Processes
Statistics
1. Papers by journal
Filtering Criteria

Hydrological Datasets and Climate Projections

Three major datasets published in Scientific Data defined this week’s contribution to hydrological infrastructure. The China Meteorological Forcing Dataset (CMFD) by He et al. provided the first 0.1° × 0.1°, 3-hourly gridded near-surface meteorological dataset for China, fusing reanalysis with in-situ observations. Mulligan et al. released GOODD, the most comprehensive global dam database at the time with over 38,000 georeferenced entries. Navarro Racines et al. delivered bias-corrected, downscaled CMIP5 projections at ~1 km resolution for impact assessments worldwide.

The first high-resolution meteorological forcing dataset for land process studies over China

Authors: Jie He, Kun Yang, Wenjun Tang, Hui Lü, Jun Qin, Yingying Chen et al.

Journal: Scientific Data · DOI: 10.1038/s41597-020-0369-y · Citations: 1406

Matched topics: hydrology, hydrologic model, streamflow, land surface model, earth system model

The China Meteorological Forcing Dataset (CMFD) is the first high spatial-temporal resolution gridded near-surface meteorological dataset developed specifically for studies of land surface processes in China. The dataset was made through fusion of remote sensing products, reanalysis datasets, and in-situ station data, at 0.1° × 0.1° spatial and 3-hourly temporal resolution from 1979 to 2018.

GOODD, a global dataset of more than 38,000 georeferenced dams

Authors: Mark Mulligan, Arnout van Soesbergen, Leonardo Sáenz

Journal: Scientific Data · DOI: 10.1038/s41597-020-0362-5 · Citations: 435

Matched topics: streamflow, land surface model, hydropower, earth system model

The most comprehensive GlObal geOreferenced Database of Dams to date containing more than 38,000 dams as well as their associated catchments, enabling new and improved global analyses of the impact of dams on society and environment and improved representation of dams in earth system models.

High-resolution and bias-corrected CMIP5 projections for climate change impact assessments

Authors: Carlos E. Navarro Racines, Jaime Tarapues, Philip K. Thornton, Andy Jarvis, Julián Ramírez-Villegas

Journal: Scientific Data · DOI: 10.1038/s41597-019-0343-8 · Citations: 428

Matched topics: hydrology, land surface model, climate change, earth system model

Projections of climate change are available at coarse scales (70–400 km). This study presents a global database of future climates developed from 35 CMIP5 models, downscaled and bias-corrected to ~1 km resolution using the delta method, enabling agricultural and species models to operate at the fine spatial scales required for impact assessments.

Flood Risk Assessment and Management

Flood research spanned barrier-lake outbursts, urban flood risk, and nature-based solutions. Chen et al. reconstructed the October 2018 Yarlung Tsangpo barrier-lake burst, one of the largest recent glacial lake outburst floods, providing critical data for routing models in steep Himalayan valleys. Wu et al. coupled ontology with Bayesian Networks for urban flood risk evaluation, while Singh et al. optimized nature-based solutions for reducing urban floods under spatial constraints. GIS-based multicriteria analysis by Ogato et al. and interbasin groundwater flow characterization by Le Mesnil et al. added to the flood modeling toolkit.

Barrier lake bursting and flood routing in the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in October 2018

Authors: Chen Chen, Limin Zhang, Te Xiao, Jian He

Journal: Journal of Hydrology · DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.124603 · Citations: 183

Matched topics: hydrologic model, flood

This study reconstructs the October 2018 barrier lake bursting event in the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon—one of the largest recent glacial lake outburst floods—and simulates the downstream flood routing through steep and narrow Himalayan gorges, providing critical benchmark data for flood hazard assessment in high-mountain environments.

Geographic information system (GIS)-Based multicriteria analysis of flooding hazard and risk in Ambo Town and its watershed, West shoa zone, oromia regional State, Ethiopia

Authors: Gemechu Shale Ogato, Amare Bantider, Ketema Abebe, Davide Geneletti

Journal: Journal of Hydrology Regional Studies · DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrh.2019.100659 · Citations: 187

Matched topics: water management, flood

This study analyzes flooding hazard and risk from a GIS-based multicriteria perspective in Ambo town and its watershed, combining topographic, hydrological, and land-use factors to map flood susceptibility zones and propose strategic measures for sustainable disaster risk management.

Urban flood disaster risk evaluation based on ontology and Bayesian Network

Authors: Zening Wu, Yanxia Shen, Huiliang Wang, Meimei Wu

Journal: Journal of Hydrology · DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.124596 · Citations: 141

Matched topics: water management, flood

This study develops an urban flood disaster risk evaluation framework coupling ontology-based knowledge representation with Bayesian Network inference, enabling probabilistic assessment of flood risk that accounts for complex causal relationships among hazard, exposure, and vulnerability factors.

Cost-Effective Optimization of Nature-Based Solutions for Reducing Urban Floods Considering Limited Space Availability

Authors: Apoorva Singh, Arup Kumar Sarma, Jochen Hack

Journal: Environmental Processes · DOI: 10.1007/s40710-019-00420-8 · Citations: 78

Matched topics: runoff, flood, land surface model

This study optimizes the placement and sizing of nature-based solutions for urban flood reduction under real-world spatial constraints. The optimization framework identifies cost-effective combinations of green roofs, permeable pavements, and bioretention cells that maximize runoff reduction within limited available space.

Interbasin groundwater flow: Characterization, role of karst areas, impact on annual water balance and flood processes

Authors: Martin Le Mesnil, Jean‐Baptiste Charlier, Roger Moussa, Yvan Caballero, Nathalie Dörfliger

Journal: Journal of Hydrology · DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.124583 · Citations: 36

Matched topics: hydrology, runoff, streamflow, flood

This study characterizes interbasin groundwater flow in karst regions and quantifies its impact on the annual water balance and flood generation. Results show that karst conduit networks can transfer substantial volumes across surface watershed boundaries, significantly altering local flood peaks and baseflow.

Water Reservoir Operations and Large-Scale Modeling

Dang et al. published the week’s most thematically connected paper, evaluating how water reservoir storage and operations are represented in large-scale hydrological and land surface models—matching 10 of the 16 search topics. Their analysis showed that reservoir parameterization choices substantially affect simulated streamflow and that climate change impact assessments are sensitive to the operational rules assumed. Tomlinson et al. introduced Pywr, a Python-based water resource simulator for modeling complex multi-purpose managed water systems.

On the representation of water reservoir storage and operations in large-scale hydrological models: implications on model parameterization and climate change impact assessments

Authors: Thanh Duc Dang, Kamal Chowdhury, Stefano Galelli

Journal: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences · DOI: 10.5194/hess-24-397-2020 · Citations: 188

Matched topics: hydrology, hydrologic model, runoff, streamflow, reservoir, land surface model, climate change, hydropower, surface water, earth system model

During the past decades, the increased impact of anthropogenic interventions on river basins has prompted hydrologists to develop various approaches for representing human–water interactions in large-scale hydrological and land surface models. This study evaluates different reservoir operation schemes and shows that the choice of representation substantially affects simulated streamflow, with important implications for climate change impact assessments.

A water resource simulator in Python

Authors: James Tomlinson, John Arnott, Julien Harou

Journal: Environmental Modelling & Software · DOI: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2020.104635 · Citations: 67

Matched topics: hydrology, hydrologic model, hydropower

A new generalised water resource network modelling Python library, Pywr, is presented. Given hydrological inflows, Pywr simulates customisable water allocation and operation rules throughout complex multi-purpose managed water systems at each user-defined time step, enabling scenario analysis for water supply, hydropower, and environmental flow objectives.

Drought and Climate Variability

Agricultural drought risk assessment by Dai et al. introduced dynamic evolution analysis of drought characteristics across China. Gebrechorkos et al. provided the first high-resolution drought analysis for East Africa using satellite and reanalysis products. SPI-based spatiotemporal drought mapping for Sri Lanka revealed intensifying patterns at multiple timescales, while climate and human water use were shown to diminish wetland networks critical for continental waterbird migration.

Assessing agricultural drought risk and its dynamic evolution characteristics

Authors: Meng Dai, Shengzhi Huang, Qiang Huang, Guoyong Leng, Yi Guo, Lu Wang et al.

Journal: Agricultural Water Management · DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106003 · Citations: 215

Matched topics: drought

This study develops a comprehensive agricultural drought risk assessment framework incorporating hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and adaptive capacity. Dynamic evolution analysis reveals shifting drought risk patterns across China’s major agricultural regions, with northwestern areas showing the most rapid increases.

Analysis of climate variability and droughts in East Africa using high-resolution climate data products

Authors: Solomon H. Gebrechorkos, Stephan Hülsmann, Christian Bernhofer

Journal: Global and Planetary Change · DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2020.103130 · Citations: 111

Matched topics: drought, land surface model

This study provides the first comprehensive high-resolution climate variability and drought analysis for East Africa, comparing multiple gridded datasets against station observations. Results highlight significant discrepancies among datasets in capturing drought onset and severity, emphasizing the need for improved observational networks in data-sparse regions.

SPI-Based Spatiotemporal Drought over Sri Lanka

Authors: N. S. Abeysingha, Upendra Rajapaksha

Journal: Advances in Meteorology · DOI: 10.1155/2020/9753279 · Citations: 59

Matched topics: hydrology, drought, hydropower

Drought is one of the most significant hazards in Sri Lanka. This study assesses drought using the Standardized Precipitation Index at 3, 6, and 12-month timescales using monthly rainfall data from 54 stations (1970–2017), revealing intensifying patterns in the dry zone with implications for agriculture and hydropower.

Climate and human water use diminish wetland networks supporting continental waterbird migration

Authors: John Donnelly, Sammy L. King, N. L. Silverman, Daniel P. Collins, Eduardo Carrera-González, Alberto Lafón‐Terrazas et al.

Journal: Global Change Biology · DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15010 · Citations: 95

Matched topics: hydrology, runoff, surface water, irrigation

Migrating waterbirds rely on a limited network of endorheic lakes and wetlands when crossing arid continental interiors. This study shows that climate change and irrigation withdrawals have diminished these wetland networks, identifying critical bottlenecks in the Central Flyway where habitat loss threatens continental-scale waterbird migration.

Glacier and Cryosphere Hydrology

Rounce et al. projected glacier mass changes across High Mountain Asia through 2100 using the open-source Python Glacier Evolution Model (PyGEM), finding mass losses of 36–64% depending on emissions scenario, with profound implications for runoff, hydropower, and irrigation downstream. Kayastha et al. compared hydrology and icemelt across three Nepal river basins using degree-day modeling. Elshamy et al. addressed the challenge of configuring hydrological land surface models to properly represent permafrost in the Mackenzie River basin.

Glacier Mass Change in High Mountain Asia Through 2100 Using the Open-Source Python Glacier Evolution Model (PyGEM)

Authors: David R. Rounce, Regine Hock, David Shean

Journal: Frontiers in Earth Science · DOI: 10.3389/feart.2019.00331 · Citations: 307

Matched topics: hydrology, hydrologic model, runoff, hydropower, irrigation

Glaciers in High Mountain Asia are an important freshwater resource for large populations living downstream who rely on runoff for hydropower, irrigation, and municipal use. This study projects glacier mass losses of 36% (RCP2.6) to 64% (RCP8.5) by 2100, with peak runoff timing shifting earlier in the century across most basins.

Comparative Study of Hydrology and Icemelt in Three Nepal River Basins Using the Glacio-Hydrological Degree-Day Model (GDM) and Observations From the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT)

Authors: R. Kayastha, N. Steiner, R. Kayastha, S. Mishra, K. McDonald

Journal: Frontiers in Earth Science · DOI: 10.3389/feart.2019.00354 · Citations: 43

Matched topics: hydrology, hydrologic model, river, hydropower

An assessment of the water supply and its seasonal and annual changes in three Nepal river basins, combining degree-day glacier melt modeling with ASCAT scatterometer observations to quantify ice and snow contributions to streamflow. Results reveal substantial basin-to-basin variability in glacier melt fractions.

On the configuration and initialization of a large-scale hydrological land surface model to represent permafrost

Authors: Mohamed Elshamy, Daniel Princz, Gonzalo Sapriza‐Azuri, Mohamed S. Abdelhamed, Alain Pietroniro, H. S. Wheater et al.

Journal: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences · DOI: 10.5194/hess-24-349-2020 · Citations: 30

Matched topics: hydrology, hydrologic model, streamflow, land surface model, earth system model

Permafrost is an important feature of cold-region hydrology, particularly in river basins such as the Mackenzie River basin. This study addresses the challenges of configuring and initializing hydrological and land surface models to properly represent permafrost thermodynamics and its influence on soil moisture and runoff generation.

Hydrologic Modeling and Watershed Processes

Multiple studies advanced process understanding across different scales. Senatore et al. showed that high-resolution sea surface temperature representation improves hydrological forecasting for Mediterranean catchments during heavy precipitation. Bonan et al. demonstrated joint assimilation of soil moisture and leaf area index in a land data assimilation system. Sergeant et al. classified streamflow patterns across the coastal Gulf of Alaska, Fernandes et al. documented long-term human alterations of the Tagus River, and Wrzesien and Pavelsky projected changes in extreme runoff events over the western US.

Impact of high-resolution sea surface temperature representation on the forecast of small Mediterranean catchments’ hydrological responses to heavy precipitation

Authors: Alfonso Senatore, Luca Furnari, Giuseppe Mendicino

Journal: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences · DOI: 10.5194/hess-24-269-2020 · Citations: 61

Matched topics: hydrology, hydrologic model, streamflow, land surface model

Operational meteo-hydrological forecasting chains are affected by many sources of uncertainty. This study demonstrates that using high-resolution sea surface temperature fields substantially improves quantitative precipitation forecasts and subsequent hydrological simulations for small Mediterranean catchments during heavy precipitation events.

An ensemble square root filter for the joint assimilation of surface soil moisture and leaf area index within the Land Data Assimilation System LDAS-Monde

Authors: Bertrand Bonan, Clément Albergel, Yongjun Zheng, Alina Barbu, David Fairbairn, Simon Munier et al.

Journal: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences · DOI: 10.5194/hess-24-325-2020 · Citations: 55

Matched topics: hydrology, runoff, streamflow, land surface model

This paper introduces an ensemble square root filter in LDAS-Monde for jointly assimilating surface soil moisture and leaf area index observations. Ingesting both variables simultaneously improves simulated soil moisture profiles and vegetation dynamics across the Euro-Mediterranean region.

Vegetation response to precipitation anomalies under different climatic and biogeographical conditions in China

Authors: Zefeng Chen, Weiguang Wang, Jianyu Fu

Journal: Scientific Reports · DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57910-1 · Citations: 203

Matched topics: hydrologic model, runoff, water management

Understanding precipitation–vegetation interaction is important for implementing adaptation measures for terrestrial ecosystems. This study explores spatial patterns of precipitation–vegetation correlations across China, revealing that vegetation sensitivity to precipitation anomalies is modulated by climate regime, with the strongest responses in semi-arid transitional zones.

A Classification of Streamflow Patterns Across the Coastal Gulf of Alaska

Authors: Christopher J. Sergeant, Jeffrey A. Falke, Rebecca A. Bellmore, J. Ryan Bellmore, Ryan Crumley

Journal: Water Resources Research · DOI: 10.1029/2019wr026127 · Citations: 54

Matched topics: hydrologic model, runoff, streamflow

Streamflow controls many freshwater and marine processes. This study classifies streamflow patterns across 400,000 km² of Gulf of Alaska watersheds, identifying five distinct hydrologic regimes that reflect the relative contributions of rainfall, snowmelt, and glacier melt to runoff generation.

Long-term human-generated alterations of Tagus River: Effects of hydrological regulation and land-use changes in distinct river zones

Authors: María Rosário Fernandes, Francisca C. Aguiar, Maria João Martins, Rui Rivaes, María Teresa Ferreira

Journal: CATENA · DOI: 10.1016/j.catena.2020.104466 · Citations: 51

Matched topics: hydrologic model, river, streamflow

This study documents long-term human-generated alterations of the Tagus River system, distinguishing the effects of hydrological regulation (dams) from land-use changes across upstream, middle, and downstream reaches. Results show that dam operations have fundamentally altered the flow regime, with reduced peak flows and increased baseflow throughout the basin.

Multimodelling approach to the assessment of climate change impacts on hydrology and river morphology in the Chindwin River Basin, Myanmar

Authors: Sangam Shrestha, N. Imbulana, Thanapon Piman, Somchai Chonwattana, Sarawut Ninsawat, Muhammad Babur

Journal: CATENA · DOI: 10.1016/j.catena.2020.104464 · Citations: 41

Matched topics: hydrology, hydrologic model, river, climate change

This study applies a multi-model approach to assess climate change impacts on hydrology and river morphology in the Chindwin River Basin of Myanmar, one of Southeast Asia’s largest undammed rivers. Projected changes in discharge regime and sediment transport are evaluated under multiple climate scenarios.

Projected Changes to Extreme Runoff and Precipitation Events From a Downscaled Simulation Over the Western United States

Authors: Melissa L. Wrzesien, Tamlin M. Pavelsky

Journal: Frontiers in Earth Science · DOI: 10.3389/feart.2019.00355 · Citations: 28

Matched topics: hydrology, hydrologic model, runoff, streamflow, earth system model

Extreme precipitation and runoff events generally occur over regional scales. This study uses dynamically downscaled climate simulations to project changes in extreme runoff and precipitation over the western United States, finding significant increases in extreme runoff magnitude even where mean precipitation changes are modest.

Decadal-Scale Changes in the Seasonal Surface Water Balance of the Central United States from 1984 to 2007

Authors: Bo Dong, John D. Lenters, Qi Hu, Christopher J. Kucharik, Tiejun Wang, Mehmet Evren Soylu et al.

Journal: Journal of Hydrometeorology · DOI: 10.1175/jhm-d-19-0050.1 · Citations: 26

Matched topics: hydrologic model, runoff, seasonal, land surface model, surface water

Observations over the continental United States in recent decades show substantial changes in hydrologically significant variables. This study quantifies decadal-scale changes in the seasonal surface water balance across the central US from 1984 to 2007, finding that decreased cloud cover and increased solar radiation have altered the partitioning of precipitation into evapotranspiration and runoff.

Assessment of potential implications of agricultural irrigation policy on surface water scarcity in Brazil

Authors: Sebastian Multsch, Maarten S. Krol, Markus Pahlow, André L. C. Assunção, Alberto Barretto, Quirijn de Jong van Lier et al.

Journal: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences · DOI: 10.5194/hess-24-307-2020 · Citations: 40

Matched topics: hydrology, surface water, irrigation

Expanding irrigated cropping areas is one of Brazil’s strategies to increase agricultural production. This study analyses the trade-off between irrigation expansion and water scarcity goals, finding that unrestricted expansion would push several basins beyond acceptable scarcity thresholds, necessitating spatially targeted irrigation policies.

Drone-Based Optical Measurements of Heterogeneous Surface Velocity Fields around Fish Passages at Hydropower Dams

Authors: Dariia Strelnikova, Gernot Paulus, Sabine Käfer, Karl–Heinrich Anders, Peter Mayr, Helmut Mader et al.

Journal: Remote Sensing · DOI: 10.3390/rs12030384 · Citations: 70

Matched topics: streamflow, hydropower

In Austria, more than half of all electricity is produced with hydropower plants. This study demonstrates drone-based optical measurement of heterogeneous surface velocity fields around fish passages at hydropower dams, providing high-resolution flow data critical for optimizing fish passage design and assessing ecological connectivity.

Statistics

Metric	Count
Databases searched	2
Topics searched	16
Total papers fetched	1077
After deduplication	663
After LLM relevance filtering	28
Rejected (not relevant)	635

Papers by journal

Journal	Papers
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences	5
Journal of Hydrology	3
Scientific Data	3
Frontiers in Earth Science	3
CATENA	2
Water Resources Research	2
Scientific Reports	1
Global Change Biology	1
Agricultural Water Management	1
Environmental Modelling & Software	1
Remote Sensing	1
Global and Planetary Change	1
Advances in Meteorology	1
Environmental Processes	1
Journal of Hydrology Regional Studies	1
Journal of Hydrometeorology	1

Filtering Criteria

Topics: hydrology, hydrologic model, river, runoff, streamflow, reservoir, water management, flood, drought, seasonal, land surface model, climate change, hydropower, surface water, irrigation, earth system model

Databases: Semantic Scholar, OpenAlex