Streamflow Forecasting Using Four Wavelet Transformation Combinations Approaches with Data-Driven Models: A Comparative Study

This study investigates the use of wavelet transformation (WT) as preprocessing tool in data-driven models (DDMs) for forecasting streamflow 7 days ahead. WT used are Continuous wavelet transformation (CWT), discrete wavelet transformation (DWT), and a new proposed combination of CWT and DWT, namely discrete continuous wavelet transformation (DCWT). In addition to these three different WTs, the single DDMs were used also to create four different schematic layouts. The DDMs applied were artificial neural network (ANN), adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), and support vector machines (SVM). The lagged rainfall, temperature, and streamflow were incorporated as inputs into the WT-DDMs. It was found that CWT improved the forecasting accuracy of models which only included the rainfall and temperature but not the streamflow. Moreover, DWT improved the performance dramatically for the models with streamflow. Notably, DWT layout outperformed CWT layout in general while CWT layouts resulted in higher improvement to the models with rainfall and temperature only. The proposed DCWT in which CWT applied on the rainfall and temperature variables and DWT applied on the streamflow improved the forecasting ability in several models combinations when ANN was applied. Nevertheless, improvement in the forecasting accuracy was deteriorated in those with SVM while no improvement was observed with ANFIS. ANN outperformed both ANFIS and SVM while ANFIS performed better than SVM.