Abstract
The objective of this study is to develop a channel routing model to take into account the attenuation of runoff in channel networks of continental scale basins. Channel networks showing the flow direction of runoff, and the optimal routing order keeping the routing be carried out from upstream channels to downstream channels are derived from geographic information at 1-degree resolution. A distributed routing model using multi-step multi-reach Muskingum-Cunge scheme is newly developed and implemented. It is applied to major continental scale basins including Chang Jiang River and Mississippi River. The runoff over these basins are computed from ISLSCP data set by using XinAnJiang rainfall runoff model, and then routed to the hydrological stations along these rivers. The computed and observed hydrographs are compared. It is shown that the runoff concentration within channel networks of these basins take one to six months. This shows the importance of routing model in hydrological analysis of seasonal water and heat balance.
