Hydrologic Process Modeling¶
A rainfall-runoff model is a mathematical model describing the rainfall–runoff relations of a rainfall catchment area, drainage basin or watershed. It produces a runoff hydrograph in response to rainfall inputs, represented by a hyetograph. In other words, the model calculates the conversion of rainfall into runoff.
In comparatively sophisticated modeling one considers the rainfall signal coming into the watershed, filtered by losses from evapotranspiration, infiltration, any water that is added to storage - what remains is the runoff.
We will examine the losses in subsequent sections, here they will be presented as needed without much explaination.