A Hydrologic Model of Kemptville Basin—Calibration and Extended Validation

An integrated hydrologic/hydraulic model of the Kemptville Creek basin has been built using the Mike11 modeling system of the Danish Hydraulic Institute and available GIS-based watershed data. This watershed system is complex, comprising of channels, local drainage areas, lateral inflows, wetlands, and a regulated dam. The model was calibrated using measured streamflow data for five years and then validated for another five years. A wide range of methods—both qualitative and quantitative—were used to evaluate the model performance. It was found that the model can simulate high flows with a high degree of accuracy, and the low flows less satisfactorily. Additional (split-sample) validation tests were conducted for another two five-year periods, which revealed that the model is capable of performing equally well for time periods beyond those used for calibration and validation. This model is now being used for various watershed management purposes, including synthetic hydrograph generation, flood forecasting, design flood estimation, wetland function analysis, etc.