AN URBAN HYDROLOGICAL MODEL WITH HIGH-SPATIAL-RESOLUTION RAINFALL FROM A METEOROLOGICAL MODEL

The feasibility of a theoretical description of the urban water cycle by means of physically based models has been presented, A high-resolut ion three-dimensional finite-difference storm model was used to simula te convective rainfall over an urban catchment near Paris, A hydrologi cal model described the surface processes as well as the discharge pro cesses in the sewer system, The comparison of model results with the o bservational data indicated that the rainfall simulation (space-time d istribution and quantity) was the most critical part of the simulation s. Subsequently, the coupled system simulated well the overall dischar ge distribution and the dynamic response of the discharge at the princ ipal outlets of the sewer system, Results indicated that a purely mech anical description of the water cycle is feasible and that this could be a useful tool for investigation of the urban environment in the fut ure. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.