1. Database of small research watersheds for the territory of former Soviet Union as a source of data for improving hydrological models and their parameterizations in different geographical conditions
Liudmila Lebedeva1,2, Olga Semenova3,4
1Nansen Centre, 14 line V.O., 7;
2State Hydrological Institute, 2 line V.O., 23; 3Gidrotehproekt Ltd, pr. Toreza, 44-2
4St.Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab 7-9
St. Petersburg, Russia

2. Current obstacles in improvement of hydrological models
Extensive calibration of both parameters and model structures
Development separated models for specific purposes/basins neglecting a single physical basis of hydrological processes in the world
Large uncertainties in PUB and assessment of present and future hydrological response to environmental changes
Concentration on one watershed/region
Using runoff as the only metrics for model evaluation
Application of inappropriate model algorithms – primitive empirical or inadequate “physically-based”
One of the widely claimed reasons is lack of data
Have we already made use of all “traditional” data sources?

3. Network of 19 research watersheds in former USSR
Each research basin (water-balance station) with area from 4.9 to 1930 km2 conducted wide range of hydrometeorological measurements according to more or less single program from 1940s (the earliest started in 1929). The data are available in hard copies for periods years.
Most of them were stopped in late 1980s. Four (in Russia) are still operated.
The location of the stations were carefully selected to be representative for surrounding landscapes
The network includes stations located in main landscape zones of former USSR
The observational materials are accompanied by detailed description of relief, soil, vegetation, climate, geology etc., measuring techniques and supportive maps.

4. Network of 19 research watersheds in former USSR
We are digitizing the observational data,
Open access to them (currently there are two stations) and
Offer it as a basis for comprehensive evaluation of different hypotheses and model structures

5. Observational program
Element
Max No of sites at one station
Temporal resolution
Runoff
2 – 21
Min - day
Overland and subsurface flow
Up to 8
day
Meteorological observations incl. soil temperature, solar radiation and albedo
1 - 4
Hour - day
Precipitation
5 - 84
Min - decade
Snow (points and surveys)
Up to 49
Day – month
Evaporation from the soil
Up to 5
Day – decade
Evaporation from the snow
Up to 2
Hour– decade
Evaporation from the water surface
Up to 6
Soil moisture at different depths
Up to 80
Soil profile description
Up to 57 -
Soil hydraulic properties
Up to 11
Soil freezing and thawing depths
Up to 71
Groundwater levels
Up to 59
Stream water turbidity and suspended material
Up to 16
Decade – month
Stream water chemical composition
Decade - month

6. Different geographic conditions5 4 2
Number of stations in different
landscape zones

7. Podmoskovnaya station, forest-steppe, temperate continental climate
Location: Oka River basin, 55.71o Lat, 37.18o Long
Area: 25.6 km2
Climate: temperate continental
Landscape: mixed forest, cropland
Soil: podzol
Relief: plain, elevation range m
Period of operation: 1946-pres.
Number of discharge gauges: 7
Mean annual temperature: 2°С
Mean annual precipitation: 550 mm

8. Bomnakskaya station, forest, continental climate, discontinuous permafrost
Location: Amur River basin, o Lat, o Long
Area: 22 km2
Climate: continental
Landscape: larch, pine and birch forest
Soil: alluvial, podzol, peaty; permafrost
Relief: elevated plain with altitude range from 300 to 500 m
Period of operation:
Number of discharge gauges: 5
Mean annual temperature: ‑5.1°С
Mean annual precipitation: 587 mm

9. Nizhnedevitskaya station, steppe, temperate continental climate
Location: Don River basin, 51.55o Lat, 38.37o Long
Area: 103 km2
Climate: temperate continental
Landscape: steppe
Soil: chernozem
Relief: hilly plain with elevation range 120 to 260 m
Period of operation: 1948-pres.
Number of discharge gauges: 9
Mean annual temperature: 5.7°С
Mean annual precipitation: 553 mm

10. Supportive material Discharge gauge at Kolymaskaya station
Meteorological plot at
Podmoskovnaya station
Measuring of soil evaporation. Weighting of soil sample.

11. Data access Go to our website http://hydrograph-model.ru/
“Database” section
Click on the station on the map (small waterdrops) 
Request dataset
Fill the form and send
We will answer you as soon as possible
Share your results

12. What can you gain from the dataset?
Data to analyze the hydrological processes in different geographic conditions
Data to run the model
Additional information that enables one to assess parameters a- priori
Non-standard observations to evaluate different internal blocks of the hydrological models (soil moisture and temperature, overland and subsurface flow, snow distribution, groundwater levels, etc.)
Possibility to compare different modelling approaches

13. Kolyma station as an example of comprehensive model parameterization
Bare rocks
Bush tundra
Deep active layer
Subsurface runoff
Shallow active layer, surface runoff
Larch forest
Riparian vegetation

14. initially developed by Prof. Yury Vinogradov
The Hydrograph model
Process-based (explicitly includes all processes)
Observable parameters, no calibration (can be obtained apriori)
Common input daily data (air temperature and moisture, precipitation)
Free of scale problem (from soil column to large basin)
initially developed by Prof. Yury Vinogradov

15. Typical soil profiles (the example of the Kolyma River upstreams)

16. Physical ground properties that drive the processes of active layer formation
Moss and
lichen
Peat
Clay with
inclusion of rocks
Bedrock
Density, kg/m3
500
1720
2610
Porosity, % 90 80 55 35
Water holding capacity, % 60
20-40 13 7
Infiltration coefficient,
mm/min 10
0.0005
0.05-1
Heat capacity, J/(kg oC)
1930
840
750
Heat conductivity,
W/(m oC)
0.8
1.2
1.5
Wilting point, % 8
6-8 4
2-3

17. Soil thaw/freeze processes and runoff formation Type 1 – peaty soils and surface flow
Peaty soil is fully saturated with ice during snow melt. It thaws slowly and surface flow occurs.
observed runoff
simulated runoff
snow water equivalent
infiltration into soil
surface flow
observed soil thaw depth
simulated soil thaw depth

18. Soil thaw/freeze processes and runoff formation Type 2 – rocky stratum and subsurface flow
Snowmelt water is re-frozen in soil. Only subsurface flow is formed.
liquid water content in soil
ice content in soil
simulated soil thaw depth
observed runoff
simulated runoff
snow water equivalent

19. We encourage you to test your modelling approaches in challenging conditions of multiple Russian research basins and share results with hydrological community We will do our best to support you.