Author(s): Alejandro Sanchez-Gomez; Silvia Martinez-Perez; Antonio Sastre-Merlin; Katrin Bieger; Eugenio Molina-Navarro

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Keywords: Detailed hydrological modelling; SWAT+; Management operations; Climate change; Water resources

Abstract: Hydrological models at catchment scale have become essential tools in water resources planning and management. They are highly useful in the context of climate change, which River Basin Administrations need to consider when developing their management plans, following the EU requirements. However, the development of catchment scale hydrological models with a detailed level of hydrological and water management processes representation is still limited. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) has become one of the most used catchment scale models worldwide. It allows the addition of detailed spatial information and management operations, although very often its applications remain rather simplistic. A new, completely restructured version, SWAT+, has been recently launched overcoming some previous limitations, but studies using it are still limited. We have set up a detailed hydrological model for the upper, most populated part of the Tagus River basin using SWAT+. The high-detail level has been achieved both through the use of adequate spatial data inputs and, most importantly, through the incorporation of water management processes that are commonly overlooked or left as default, namely: - Defining crops at a province level according to their real coverage and simulating their management operations (rotations, irrigation and fertilization) after collecting farmers information. - Simulating reservoir release using decision tables that fit their actual operational rules. - Incorporating water movement within the catchment to represent drinking and industrial water supply and return, which is particularly relevant in Madrid area. The modelling workflow presented is innovative and could contribute to a more realistic and comprehensive representation of the Tagus River basin hydrology, which would eventually turn into a more reliable climate change scenarios simulation. It could also help other modellers and water managers to improve their hydrological simulation strategies.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/IAHR-39WC252171192022981

Year: 2022