Context
We have selected PIHM as our catchment model.
Implementing a catchment model using the PIHM software has three basic steps that utilize specific tools:
1) Collect the geospatial and time series data for that covers the site: The site [www.hydroterre.psu.edu] includes the necessary geospatial data and climate forcing to carry out this task for HUC12 level catchments anywhere in the continental US.
2) Define the domain of the catchment boundaries and the stream network: PIHM_gis tool is a desktop tool for delineating the catchment domain, defining the stream network (user defined support) and delineating the stream network from a digital elevation model.
3) Create a numerical grid that satisfies the project goals or hypotheses and make initial estimates of the model parameters: PIHM_gis tool also has tools to make initial estimates of the model parameters for the soil, groundwater, surface flow and vegetation, These parameters are automatically assigned to each mesh element, and can be refined later by calibration constrained by stream gauging, groundwater levels, energy and soil observations.
In this research we will concentrate on 3 field sites. The north temperate lakes region in Wisconsin, the Shaver Creek watershed and Lake Perez in central PA and......tbd.
