@article{fdi:010035777,
  title = {{M}ulti-criteria assessment of the {R}epresentative {E}lementary {W}atershed approach on the {D}onga catchment ({B}enin) using a downward approach of model complexity},
  author = {{V}arado, {N}. and {B}raud, {I}. and {G}alle, {S}ylvie and {L}e {L}ay, {M}. and {S}{\'e}guis, {L}uc and {K}amagate, {B}. and {D}epraetere, {C}hristian},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}his study is part of the {AMMA} - {A}frican {M}ultidisciplinary {M}onsoon {A}nalysis- project and aims at a better understanding and modelling of the {D}onga catchment (580 km(2), {B}enin) behaviour in order to determine its spatially distributed water balance. {F}or this purpose, we applied the {REW} concept proposed by {R}eggiani et al. (1998, 1999), which allows the description of the main local processes at the sub-watershed scale. {S}uch distributed hydrological models, which represent hydrological processes at various scales, should be evaluated not only on the discharge at the outlet but also on each of the represented processes and in several points of the catchment. {T}his multi-criteria approach is required in order to assess the global behaviour of hydrological models. {W}e applied such multi-criteria strategy to the {D}onga catchment (586 km(2)), in {B}enin. {T}he work was supported by an observation set up, undertaken since 1998 consisting in a network of 20 rain gauges, an automatic meteorological station, 6 discharge stations and 18 wells. {T}he main goal of this study was to assess the model's ability to reproduce the discharge at the outlet, the water table dynamics in several points of the catchment and the vadose zone dynamics at the sub-catchment scale. {W}e tested two spatial discretisations of increasing resolution. {T}o test the internal structure of the model, we looked at its ability to represent also the discharge at intermediate stations. {A}fter adjustment of soil parameters, the model is shown to accurately represent discharge down to a drainage area of 2 100 km(2), whereas poorer simulation is achieved on smaller catchments. {W}e introduced the spatial variability of rainfall by distributing the daily rainfall over the {REW} and obtained a very low sensitivity of the model response to this variability. {S}imulation of groundwater levels was poor and our results, in conjunction with new data available at the local scale, suggest that the representation of the processes in the unsaturated zone should first be improved, in order to better simulate soil water dynamics and represent perched water tables which were not included in this first modelling study.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{H}ydrology and {E}arth {S}ystem {S}ciences},
  volume = {10},
  numero = {3},
  pages = {427--442},
  ISSN = {1027-5606},
  year = {2006},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010035777},
}