A grid based daily hydrologic model for a watershed with paddy fields was developed to
predict the stream discharge. ASCII formatted elevation, soil, and land use data
supported by the GRASS Geographic Information System are used to generate distributed
results such as surface runoff and subsurface flow, soil water content, and
evapotranspiration. The model uses a single flow path algorithm and simulates a water
balance at each grid element. A linear reservoir assumption was used to predict
subsurface runoff components. The model was applied to a 75.6 km2 watershed located in
the middle of South Korea, and observed stream flow hydrographs from 1995 and 1996 were
compared to model predictions. The stream flow predictions of 1995 and 1996 generally
agreed with the observed flow, resulting in a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency R2 of 0.60 and
0.62, respectively. The hydraulic conductivity for percolating water through the
saturated layer affected baseflow generation. The levee height of the paddy influenced
the time and magnitude of the surface runoff, depending on irrigation management.
The model will be used for making low flow management decisions by evaluating the role
of each land use to stream flow, especially in case of paddy decrease by gradual
urbanization of a watershed.