Developing Procedures for Optimization of Tank Model’s Parameters

Abstract

Tank Model is one of the hydrological models for analyzing the characteristics of river flow. The model can give information of water availability and be used to predict flood occurrences. As it is commonplace, this model needs calibration, and it is usually done by setting the embodied parameters. In the form of Standard Tank Model, the number of parameters accounts to 12. Many optimization methods have been recognized but so far there is no single method available for general application. This paper introduces an optimization technique to determine the parameters with taking into account the conformity to water balance in addition to the best fitting and some error indicators. Here, two data from Terauchi Watershed in Japan and Ciriung Watershed in Indonesia were used for clarification, which show that this optimization technique gained fast and accurate results. This technique has been made available to use in the form of an application software and openly possible to accommodate the other forms of Tank Model.