Choix des pas de temps et d'espace pour des modélisations parcimonieuses en hydrologie des crues - Optimal space and time scales for parsimonious rainfall-runoff models

Abstract : The proposed methodology allows for the identification of time and space scales to be satisfied for the development of a parsimonious rainfall-runoff model. The maximum acceptable time step (MATS) is first determined so that the dynamical hydrological response of the basin can be properly represented. A characteristic time of the basin hydrological response is used therefore. The MATS allows next to estimate the maximum acceptable space scale with respect to the geostatistical properties of the precipitation cumulated over the MATS. As a result, it is possible to define if the basin can be represented for the MATS by a lumped hydrological model or, if not, the minimum number of sub-basins needed for a reasonable representation of the precipitation spatial variability.