On the evaluation of both spatial and temporal performance of
distributed hydrological models
Abstract
Evaluating the spatial and temporal model performance of distributed
hydrological models is necessary to ensure that the simulated spatial
and temporal patterns are meaningful. In recent years, spatial and
temporal remote sensing data have been increasingly used for model
performance evaluation. Previous studies, however, have focused on
either the temporal or spatial model performance evaluation. In
addition, temporal (or spatial) model performance evaluation is often
done in a spatially (or temporally) lumped approach. Here, we evaluated
(1) the temporal model performance evaluation in a spatially distributed
approach (spatiotemporal) and (2) the spatial model performance in a
temporally distributed approach (temporospatial) model performance
evaluation. This study demonstrated that both spatiotemporal and
temporospatial model performance evaluations are necessary since they
provide different aspects of the model performance. For example,
spatiotemporal model performance evaluation helps in detecting the areas
with an issue in the simulated temporal patterns. However,
temporospatial model performance evaluation helps in detecting the time
with an issue in the simulated spatial patterns. The results also show
that an increase in the spatiotemporal model performance will not
necessarily lead to an increase in the temporospatial model performance
and vice versa, depending on the evaluation statistics. Overall, this
study has highlighted the necessity of a joint spatiotemporal and
temporospatial model performance evaluation to understand/improve
spatial and temporal model behavior/performance.