@article{fdi:010084997,
  title = {{E}valuation of groundwater simulations in {B}enin from the {ALMIP}2 project},
  author = {{R}ashid, {M}. and {C}hien, {R}. {Y}. and {D}ucharne, {A}. and {K}im, {H}. and {Y}eh, {P}. {J}. {F}. and {P}eugeot, {C}hristophe and {B}oone, {A}. and {H}e, {X}. {G}. and {S}{\'e}guis, {L}uc and {Y}abu, {Y}. and {B}oukari, {M}. and {L}o, {M}. {H}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{A} comprehensive estimation of water budget components, particularly groundwater storage ({GWS}) and fluxes, is crucial. {I}n this study, we evaluate the terrestrial water budget of the {D}onga basin ({B}enin, {W}est {A}frica), as simulated by three land surface models ({LSM}s) used in the {A}frican {M}onsoon {M}ultidisciplinary {A}nalysis {L}and {S}urface {M}odel {I}ntercomparison {P}roject, phase 2 ({ALMIP}2): {CLM}4, {C}atchment {LSM} ({CLSM}), and {M}inimal {A}dvanced {T}reatments of {S}urface {I}nteraction and {R}unoff ({MATSIRO}). {A}ll three models include an unconfined groundwater component and are driven by the same {ALMIP}2 atmospheric forcing from 2005 to 2008. {R}esults show that all three models simulate substantially shallower water table depth ({WTD}) with smaller seasonal variations, approximately 1-1.5 m compared to the observed values that range between 4 and 9.6 m, while the seasonal variations of {GWS} are overestimated by all the models. {T}hese seemingly contradictory simulation results can be explained by the overly high specific yield prescribed in all models. {A}ll models achieve similar {GWS} simulations but with different fractions of precipitation partitioning into surface runoff, base flow, and evapotranspiration ({ET}), suggesting high uncertainty and errors in the terrestrial and groundwater budgets among models. {T}he poor performances of models can be attributed to bias in the hydrological partitioning (base flow vs surface runoff) and sparse subsurface data. {T}his analysis confirms the importance of subsurface hydrological processes in the current generation of {LSM}s and calls for substantial improvement in both surface water budget (which controls groundwater recharge) and the groundwater system (hydrodynamic parameters, vertical geometry).},
  keywords = {{A}tmosphere-land interaction ; {H}ydrologic cycle ; {H}ydrology ; {H}ydrometeorology ; {L}and surface model ; {M}odel evaluation/performance ; {BENIN}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {H}ydrometeorology},
  volume = {20},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {339--354},
  ISSN = {1525-755{X}},
  year = {2019},
  DOI = {10.1175/jhm-d-18-0025.1},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010084997},
}