An application of a large scale conceptual hydrological model over the Elbe region

This paper investigates the ability of the VIC-2L model coupled to a routin g model to reproduce streamflow in the catchment of the lower Elbe River, G ermany. The VIC-2L model, a hydrologically-based land surface scheme (LSS) which has been tested extensively in the Project for Intercomparison of Lan d-surface Parameterization Schemes (PILPS), is put up on the rotated grid o f 1/6 degree of the atmospheric regional scale model (REMO) used in the Bal tic Sea Experiment (BALTEX). For a 10 year period, the VIC-2L model is forc ed in daily time steps with measured daily means of precipitation, air temp erature, pressure, wind speed, air humidity and daily sunshine duration. VI C-2L model output of surface runoff and baseflow is used as input for the r outing model, which transforms modelled runoff into streamflow, which is co mpared to measured streamflow at selected gauge stations. The water balance of the basin is investigated and the model results on daily, monthly and a nnual time scales are discussed. Discrepancies appear in time periods where snow and ice processes are important. Extreme flood events are analyzed in more detail. The influence of calibration with respect to runoff is examin ed.