The purpose of this paper is to develop a stochastic differential equation
(SDE) for a lumped rainfall-runoff model and apply it to a watershed that c
onsists of a number of subwatersheds in a series structure in Taiwan. Each
subwatershed unit is treated as a two-part tank model. One part is for conv
erting rainfall excess within the subwatershed into outflow at the subwater
shed outlet. The other part converts subwatershed outflow into inflow at th
e next connecting subwatershed inlet. The measured values of rainfall exces
s are treated as random variables, and are used as input to the rainfall-ru
noff model. The development of the moment equations of simulated outflow is
based on a SDE. The outflow hydrograph is obtained by applying the Laplace
transform method to the equations that describe rainfall excess. (C) 2001
Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.