SWAT SIMULATION MODEL FOR CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON RUNOFF

Abstract

SWAT has proven to be an effective method of evaluating alternative land use effects on runoff, sediment and pollutant losses for simulation of hypothetical, real and future scenarios. This capability has been strengthened via the integration of GIS-SWAT with LULC simulation models in watershed management for sustainable agricultural planning programme. The assessment of climate change impact on water resources is still subject to great uncertainty. One of the major uncertainties is the climate projection, which has a marked influence on the simulated runoff in the context of future hydrology. In addition, the application of hydrological models involves uncertainty at various levels as the models are simplified conceptualizations of a real-world system. SWAT has been used as a tool for managing the runoff in the watershed involving future weather parameters from climate models, land use/land cover patterns, soil series information etc. The paper highlighted the contribution of various researchers for runoff estimations in national and international scenarios.